Minato
by Michael Shadow
Summary: AU: In an alternate world, where Naruto is the Fourth Hokage and Minato is the host of the Kyuubi, Sasuke is the clan killer and Itachi is the younger brother. Warning: Some characters are age altered, and some are not, NO emo Sasuke-like Itachi. This is a co-written story between me and ThatOneAverageWriter. We don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or Boruto.
1. Team 7

**Now, after watching an amv about these two amazing characters. I got this idea all the sudden. It may be weird and confusing to some, but I think it's good. Basically, it's the world of Naruto where some people have been aged altered and they have switched places with some other characters. Minato is Naruto and Hinata's son, Itachi is Sasuke's younger brother, Naruto is the 4th Hokage and Sasuke takes cannon Itachi's role as the clan killer (however he is still emo). However, Itachi will not be emo like cannon Sasuke he will deal with the situation the way I believe he would have. Also, Itachi, Minato, and Kushina are the same age in this story and they are in the academy together. So, in short this is an AU story.**

 **This is also a co-written story between me, Michael Shadow and ThatOneAverageWriter.**

 **Chapter 1: An Alternate Story**

Two young men faced each other standing on a river beneath a stone bridge, one had thick blond spiky hair with jaw-length bangs and blue eyes, he was wearing a blue shirt with a green vest, he had a headband with the hidden leaf symbol on it. In his right hand formed a blue sphere and in his left, he was holding a triple-prong kunai. This was Minato Namikaze.

In front of him was a young man of equal age, he had long black hair tied into a ponytail with long jaw-length bangs, his eyes were red with a black pinwheel and a red star in the center of the pinwheel. His right hand was surrounded by a flaming drill with lightening flickering around it. This was Itachi Uchiha.

"MINATO!" Itachi let out a war cry and charged at the blond with his fire drill fist raised.

"ITACHI!" Minato let out a war cry and charged at Itachi with the blue sphere. The moment they got close to each other Minato vanished in a yellow flash of light and appeared right above Itachi. Itachi then vanished in a puff of smoke. Minato spotted in the corner of his eyes Itachi with his fire drill lightning fist raised, Minato span his body around and crashed the blue sphere into the fire drill.

 **You might ask yourself this, how did things come to this? Well it's a very long story. It all began about 17 years ago, when the Nine-tailed fox attacked the village.**

Inside the village known as Konoha, the village hidden in the leaf. A rampaging Nine-tailed fox was growling around in the village. As the shinobi fended off this tremendous beast. "Where is the Hokage?!"

"We don't have time to wait for him! Push the Nine-tails out from the village!" An old man wearing a samurai helmet and a black combat outfit, carrying a large scroll said, and performed a set of hand seals.

 **Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!**

The old man spitted out a wave of fire at the large fox, but it didn't even face it. Suddenly a large puff of smoke appeared and out came a large frog that pushed into the fox sending it back out of the village border. "I will not let you destroy the village, dattebayo!" A man with long spiky blond hair tied into a spiky ponytail similar to that of a certain white-haired sannin, his bangs were also jaw-length, wearing an orange shirt and a white coat with letters on the back that spelled "Forth". The man's eyes then suddenly changed as they looked frog like. He formed a blue sphere in his hand that began increasing in size until it was massive enough to be the size of the fox.

 **Rasengan!**

The blond man slammed the sphere into the fox pushing it further away from the village. Later, after this battle the Fourth Hokage Naruto Uzumaki, lost his life in this battle, sealing the fox spirit inside of a little newborn baby with blond hair.

Several people were gathered at the graveyard, grieving the Hokage's death as well as several others. A woman with black hair that reached her shoulders, with white like soulless eyes. She had tears running down her eyes as she held the blond-haired baby that was now the host of the Nine-tails close to her large chest. The baby then began to cry. "There, there, Minato-chan. It's going to be okay… mommy's here." The woman that was Naruto Uzumaki's wife, Hinata Uzumaki formerly known as Hinata Hyuga.

Behind her was everyone else also gathered some of them looking at the newborn child Hinata held with disgust. Right behind her was a young man with black hair, the back of his head looking like a duck's butt, his eyes were black, and in his arms, he held a young baby with black hair. And next to him stood a young woman with short pink hair and green eyes, this was Sakura Haruno whom was in love with the man standing next to her however, he seemed to mostly ignore her. This young man was Sasuke Uchiha and in his arms, were his younger brother Itachi Uchiha. "Naruto…" Sasuke uttered in sorrow at the loss of a man that was not only his best friend, but his former teammate, as his eyes turned red with three black tomoes that suddenly morphed into black eyes with a red star in them. Sasuke widened his eyes in surprise and then concentrated turning his eyes black again.

In front of two graves was a man with long white spiky hair tied into a long ponytail same as the dead Fourth Hokage, his eyes were decorated with a line of red paint going down his cheeks. Next to him was a pale looking man with long black hair and purple eyelash around his eyes that looked like that of a snake. "Tsunade…" The white-haired man clenched his fist. "And my son…" The man cried as his wife Tsunade used to be the Nine-tails Jinchuuriki but mysteriously died during child birth along with the child, and the Nine-tails was unleashed upon the village. This man was Jiraiya and the man next to him was Orochimaru.

Naruto Uzumaki had died at age 18 protecting the village and was written down in history as a hero.

 **6 years later**

A young boy with black hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a black shirt with a red white fan on the back threw kunai knifes into the dead center of a board in front of him, and another young boy with spiky blond hair, wearing a white hoodie threw kunai knifes into the dead center of his board as well, with one of them no quite hitting the mark. "You really are skilled with shuriken jutsu more than I am, Itachi-kun." The blond spiky haired boy turned to his friend.

"Hn, you're quite skilled as well, Minato-san." The black-haired boy known as Itachi complimented his blond friend known as Minato.

"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to do something after school?" Minato asked with a hopeful expression.

"Can't, I have training with nii-san and Shisui-san later." Itachi shut Minato down with an emotionless expression, as Minato sank his head down looking rather blue.

"Ohhhhh, damn…" Minato uttered as Itachi sweat dropped a little.

"How about tomorrow?" Itachi sighed.

Minato gained a smirk and wrapped his arm around Itachi's shoulder. "Yeah!" Minato cheered so loudly that Itachi had to cover his ears.

"Please, not so loud." Itachi said with a deadpan expression making the blond chuckle nervously.

"Why is that boy hanging around with, that kid." A mother of one of their classmates whispered to another.

"I don't know, he's an Uchiha should we really trust him to be hanging around with him, knowing what he is?" The other mom whispered.

"They're whispering about it again." Minato said with a sad smile. "About me being the host of that fox." Minato placed his hand over his stomach.

"They can talk all they want for all I care." Itachi said emotionlessly and threw five shurikens hitting five different boards in the dead center.

Minato figured out that he was the host of the Nine-tails around the time when he started at the academy, after hearing several people whispering about him being a fox demon and telling their kids to stay away from him. The only other kid in the whole village that knows what he is, is Itachi whom was his very best friend. They had been equal in their academics and fighting skills ever since they started at the academy. In fact, they could have graduated when they were 6. But since the Third Great Ninja War was long since over, there was no need for kids to graduate early and the Third Hokage forbid anyone from doing so.

Itachi and Minato, although they were about equal still outranked each other in certain fields. For example, Minato had more chakra, Itachi was better skilled at genjutsu and shuriken, Minato was slightly physical stronger, they were both equally intelligent with maybe Itachi having a very small edge. They both tended to get equal scores on tests, but Itachi would sometimes leave a clone behind and go train when classes were about to start, while Minato didn't want to get into trouble so he just stayed in the classroom.

Also, what Itachi considered to be a little idiotic was Minato's little crush over a certain girl in class. A red-haired girl with a round face, with her red hair framing both sides of her face making her resemble a tomato. Her eyes were blue, she wore a sleeveless kimono-style blouse that was yellow and held close with a green obi over a short-sleeved mesh shirt with a pair of dark blue shorts and brown sandals. This girl was a member of the Uzumaki clan like the Fourth Hokage only a more distant member, her name was Kushina Uzumaki. Every now and then she would make a ruckus in class when some boys would bully her for looking like a tomato. Which would result in her beating them up. Minato would sometimes look over at her in class, and when she would notice thinking he was making fun of her, she would yell at him and say. "What do you want!?" Which would make Minato look away with a faint blush. Minato although comes from Uzumaki blood, he was unknown of his heritage since the Third Hokage had decided to keep it a secret that Naruto was Minato's father. Also, when Naruto died Hinata went back to using her family name, and since Naruto's mother came from the Namikaze clan she decided to give Minato the Namikaze clans name instead since she knew the Hyuga clan would never acknowledge Minato as a Hyuga.

"Her hair is really pretty, isn't it?" Minato whispered to Itachi whom was sitting next to him.

"Seriously? Well I wouldn't argue saying it's not. But shouldn't you focus on studying instead?" Itachi asked with a deadpan expression. Suddenly the red head started beating three boys into a bloody pulp when they mocked her about her hair.

"Itachi-kun, I think I'm in love with her." Minato whispered with a small faint blush.

Itachi looked over at Kushina beating the boys, and back at Minato, back at Kushina, and back at Minato again. "… What are you, suicidal?"

"No, why?" Minato asked confused tilting his head to the side.

"… No reason."

Once, school was over Itachi bid farewell to Minato. Itachi then walked over to the training grounds where he was supposed to train with Shisui-san and nii-san. Once he got there however, in the center of the training grounds was a body of a young man with short black hair, wearing a black shirt with the Uchiha fan symbol. "Shisui-san!" Itachi ran up to the body and began shaking it. "Shisui-san!"

"I-Itachi-kun?" Shisui questioned, as both his eyes were gone.

"Wh-What happened to you?" Itachi questioned with wide eyes.

"My r-right eye got stolen… I d-destroyed the left one…" Shisui uttered weakly.

"Where is Sasuke nii-san?" Itachi questioned.

"I-I don't… know…" Shisui uttered. "I-Itachi… could you do me a favor?"

"Sure…"

"Grow up to become a shinobi… willing to protect the village in any ways necessary… and carry on the honor of the Uchiha name…" Shisui uttered with a weak smile as he drew his last breath.

"Shisui-san…? Shisui…" Itachi uttered as a trail of tears ran down his eyes, then his black eyes turned red with two tomoes in them and a black dot in the center. He had awakened the sharingan. Shisui's body laid there, lifeless. Itachi didn't know what to do, his mind was filled with questions as to why something like this has happened. He should report this to his father, and get the police force to investigate.

Itachi rushed back to the Uchiha's compound as the full moon shined upon the village. As Itachi entered through a gate at the edge of the village with two red white fan symbols decorated on the side. 'Why are the lights out? It's still too early for bedtime.' Itachi thought looking at the houses, he felt someone looking at him. Itachi turned around and looked at telephone pole only to see no one there. 'Strange I thought someone was there.'

Itachi ran over into an alley way and widened his eyes in horror as he spotted several dead bodies on the ground, with several different kunai knifes and shurikens stabbed on the walls and the ground. Itachi stepped forward when he felt he stepped in something wet, he looked down and saw a pool of blood beneath his feet coming from a body. "Wh-What's going on? Who could have done this?" Itachi began shaking and then realized. "Father, and mother!" Itachi ran past multiple bodies of people he used to know, his family, his clansmen. He arrived at his house and a shiver ran down his spine.

"Somethings not right here…" Itachi forced his body to walk into his home, everything was dark and quiet. "Father? Mother? Nii-san? Anyone here?" Itachi walked around the house and didn't see a soul. He walked towards his parent's room and felt a presence in there. "Someone is in there…" Itachi pushed the door open and what he saw made his blood run cold. "Father? Mother?" Itachi uttered as he saw his parent's dead bodies on the floor. "No, this can't be happening…" Itachi uttered and saw a shadow behind his parent's bodies. "Who's there?!" Itachi got in fighting stance as the moon light shining through the window shined upon the shadow revealed to be Sasuke in his ANBU gear. "Nii-san? Wh-What's going on?" Itachi questioned and spotted Sasuke's emotionless expression. "Don't tell me… What have you done?"

"I killed them, I killed them all." Sasuke said with an evil grin.

"You killed them? Why? Why did you do it?" Itachi questioned in confusion.

"Why? To test the limit of my ability, to test how strong I truly am." Sasuke morphed his eyes into his red star mangekyou sharingan as Itachi gained images of Sasuke killing everyone in their clan and cutting down their parents. Itachi fell to his knees panting and shaking. "Now little brother, do you hate me? Do you despise me?"

"I-I… can never hate you… Sasuke…" Itachi uttered weakly and Sasuke narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

"I killed our clan, yet you don't hate me? Why?!" Sasuke questioned.

"I know you… there has to be a better reason…" Itachi replied.

"A better reason? You are such a fool, I killed them to prove my power and nothing more! Get that through your head." Sasuke threw a shuriken that cut Itachi's shoulder. "Now, hate me."

"Ugh!" Itachi clenched his right hand over his shoulder and looked at Sasuke whom was smirking. "Why are you so obsessed with wanting me to hate you? It doesn't make sense…"

"Heh, it's quite simple actually. We Uchiha get power from hatred, and if I want to test my power to my limits I need a challenge. And you alone have that unique potential. I thought Shisui had it, but sadly he was already so beaten I just let him be there. So, I will spare you so that you one day may reach that level of strength." Sasuke said with a wicked smirk.

"Hatred? Is the source of our clan's power?" Itachi questioned.

"That's right, not only that you might be one of the few with the potential to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan. That's more than enough of an interesting reason to let you live. But there's a condition to awaken these eyes." Sasuke said.

"A condition?"

"Your best friend, you must see him die before your very eyes. If you want to speed up the process you must kill him!" Sasuke declared

'Minato…' Itachi thought with wide eyes. "In that case… I will never want that power… And I won't hate you…"

"Foolish little brother. You will hate me, I will make sure of it." Sasuke appeared in front of Itachi at high speed and punched Itachi in the gut making him cough up blood. Itachi fell unconscious as trail of tears ran down his eyes as the last he saw was his parent's bodies.

 **With Minato**

Minato woke up as the sun shined on his face, he let out a yawn and walked downstairs. He then saw his mother Hinata greeting him with a sad look on her face. "What's wrong, kaa-san?" Minato questioned.

"… Well, you see… last night the Uchiha clan was massacred." Hinata spoke with tears forming in her eyes knowing that Minato's best friend was an Uchiha, she of course knew he was the only survivor.

Minato widened his eyes in shock and horror. "Huh? Wh-What about Itachi-kun?! He, did he-"

"Itachi-kun was the only survivor." Hinata informed as Minato gained a small look of relief for his friend's safety but also a look of sorrow and concern.

"Where is he?!" Minato questioned.

"He's at the hospital, Lord Third has taken measures to make sure his safe." Hinata replied. Minato rushed towards the door and put on his shinobi sandals. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see Itachi-kun at the hospital." Minato declared.

"They won't let you in, he's being guarded by the ANBU black ops. Don't worry, he will be fine in time to go to the academy later today. You can talk to him then." Hinata placed her hand on her son's shoulder.

"But… he's my… my best friend… I…" Minato uttered.

 **Flashback**

A 4-year-old Minato sat on the swing at the playground as everyone else were playing, and he couldn't play with them as their parents had told them to stay away from him. He widened his eyes as he heard someone sat down on the swing next to him, he turned around and saw a boy at his age with short black hair, black eyes, wearing a high collared black shirt with the Uchiha fan symbol on the back and shorts. He had an emotionless expression as he read a book while gently swinging back and forth.

"It's impolite to stare." Itachi pointed out not taking his eyes of the book.

"Umm, sorry… but why aren't you, playing with them?" Minato questioned.

"I'm studying, and I find the concept of running around aimlessly to be unnecessary." Itachi replied with a deadpan expression.

"Why not, it's a whole lot of fun." Minato said.

"Correction, it's fun for them. This is fun for me." Itachi said and kept reading his book.

"What are you? A machine?" Minato asked with a sweat drop.

"I'm human, like you, and them. But all humans are different." Itachi said emotionlessly.

"…" Minato sweat dropped even more at that response. "You sound like and old man."

"Whatever." Itachi said and kept reading, he slightly peeked over to Minato seeing him looking at the other kids with a depressed expression. "What about you? Why aren't you playing with them?"

"Their parents won't let me… and I don't even know why…" Minato clenched his hands.

"Huh? Strange? Could it be that your strange?" Itachi for once looked away from his book and looked at Minato.

Minato almost fell of the swing. "That's rude!"

"Well there has to be a reason. Is your family strange? Or messed up? Or are you just strange and annoying?" Itachi asked once more.

"…"

"Or could it be you're not cool enough?" Itachi asked.

"I don't know…" Minato said with a teary cartoonish expression and a trail of snot coming from his nose making the young Uchiha sweat drop.

"… You're really sensitive, aren't you?" Itachi asked and Minato nodded. Itachi let out a sigh. "Do you want to-"

"Yes!" Minato replied with stars in his eyes having recovered almost instantly.

"That was quick… I didn't even get to finish my question…" Itachi sweat dropped over the fact that Minato was able to switch moods so quickly, perhaps he was a strange one. "… Do you want to do something?"

"Aha! What do you want to do?! Play hide and seek?!"

"Won't that be a little boring with only two people?"

"Play ball?!"

"Again, there's two of us."

"Oh! Oh! What about cards?! Chess?! Truth or dare?" Minato said the last one in a deep voice.

"Pretty sure we need at least a girl for that." Itachi said as Minato wiggled his eyebrows. "Oh, you mean we find some girls and play that." Itachi said and Minato nodded and once again wiggled his eyebrows. "… no." Itachi shook his head as he could already imagine his fangirls all barging in on the game which would only result in a headache.

Minato let out a pout. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Training." Itachi replied.

"Training? Awe, dude come on that's no fun…"

"Being violated by girls isn't fun either." Itachi bluntly said.

"How about a race? Loser buys the winner lunch!" Minato jumped of the swing and began running.

"… What did I get myself into?" Itachi asked himself and sighed and ran after Minato towards the Hokage stone face wall.

 **Flashback end**

Minato was sitting at his desk in the academy and then Itachi walked in the room, and the whispering from their classmates began. Itachi casually walked over to Minato and sat down. "Hey…" Minato greeted.

"Hey." Itachi responded.

"Are you feeling alright?" Minato asked not sure what to say.

"… Everything's fine."

"I heard what happened… you don't have to pretend to be brave." Minato said with a look of concern.

"It's sad… but there's nothing I can do about it… grieving in sorrow and despair will not bring the dead back. At first I thought it was all just a nightmare, so I ran back to the compound after they released me from the hospital… but it was all reality…" Itachi clenched his fist as Minato widened his eyes as he saw drops of tears fall on the desk, he had never seen Itachi cry before.

"… I'm truly sorry, Itachi-kun…" Minato uttered.

"Thank you…"

 **6 years later**

A 12-year-old Minato snuck into the Hokage's office by jumping through the open window. "Where's the old man? Guess I will wait for him to come back." Minato said but curious as he was he walked over to the photos of all the Hokages, he then noticed that the second Hokage's photo was tilting to the side a little. "Hmm, let's fix that up Lord Second." Minato smirked and tilted the photo straight, but then a secret compartment opened beneath the photo containing a giant scroll. "Oh! What's this?!" Minato lifted the giant scroll and opened it seeing various kinds of jutsu listed on it. "Ohhhh! Interesting." After browsing through it for several hours he did not notice the Third Hokage Hiruzen standing behind him.

"Minato, what are you doing?" The Hokage asked.

"Oh, old man. I found this scroll containing various kinds of awesome jutsus! I even learned two of them!" Minato beamed with a smile.

"You… learned two of them?!" The Third Hokage questioned in shock.

"Huh? Yeah, something called Shadow Clone and Flying Raijin. Although I haven't fully mastered the last one yet. This will be awesome when tomorrow I begin my new life as a genin!"

"… Minato… that's a forbidden scroll…"

"Huh?" Minato paled.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Minato grabbed onto the Third Hokage's leg and began to cry cartoonish style with a trail of snot from his nose and watery eyes. "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama! I didn't know! Please let me still become a shinobi! Please!"

"… I guess there's no harm done… You're not in trouble."

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you!" Minato instantly recovered back to his normal expression.

Later, every one of the new graduating academy students were gathered in the classroom, all of them wearing their new headbands. "What's with that goofy grin on your face?" Itachi asked Minato.

Minato began chuckling a little deeply. "You see, Itachi-kun… I have officially mastered two new awesome jutsus. I'm a totally new shinobi now, it may take a while my friend." Minato placed his hand on Itachi's shoulder and gave him a thump up while smiling. "One day, you might reach my level!"

"For some reason, your starting to piss me off." Itachi said with an emotionlessly expression.

"You see my dear, Itachi-kun. I have mastered the Second Hokages, Shadow Clone-"

"The seconds Shadow Clone Jutsu. Oh yeah, I mastered that a few days ago, myself." Itachi replied as Minato paled a little.

"I-Itachi-kun… did you find the forbidden scroll?"

"Of course, out of all the photos the Second's was tilting to the side, anyone could have figured that one out." Itachi bluntly replied.

"D-Did you master anything else?"

"No, Lord Third came back so I fled and left the scroll back where it was." Itachi replied.

Minato then began with the deep chuckle again. "Well you see, I also learned the Flying Raijin!"

"Huh, good for you. I have now fully evolved my sharingan." Itachi said as his eyes turned red with three black tomoes and a black dot in the center

"You just have to show off, don't ya?!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you were doing the same thing." Itachi sweat dropped as Minato avoided his gaze.

"Alright now! We will divide you into a three-man squad!" The teacher Iruka declared, he had long brown hair tied into a ponytail that looked like a pineapple, he had slight tan skin and a scar over the bridge of his nose. He called out various names until he reached Team 7. "For Team 7, Minato Namikaze! Kushina Uzumaki! Itachi Uchiha!"

"Oh, yeah!" Minato cheered not only because he was in the same team as Itachi, but Kushina as well.

"Hmm, that moron, at least Uchiha is tolerable." Kushina uttered.

"Hn." Itachi simply hummed.

 **That's the end for now.**

 **Now, like I said at the start some characters are going to be aged reversed and some are not. Now give us some ideas for whom should be aged reversed in the reviews if you want. We're already thinking Killer Bee would be a good one. The Akatsuki will remain as they are, with the only exception being Sasuke will take Itachi's place. I know this is a strange idea and all, but hey it's fanfiction! Sometimes things get a little crazy!**

 **Also, this will only be the case with Minato, Kushina and Itachi, they will have some different nature element releases.**

 **Leave a review!**

 **-Later!**

 **Itachi abilities (start):**

 **-Three tomoe-sharingan**

 **-Fire, wind, lightning release**

 **-Clones/Shadow Clones (5 max), crow substitution**

 **-Taijutsu expert, genjutsu expert, shuriken expert, super speed, above average chakra reserves and stamina.**

 **-Highly intelligent.**

 **Minato abilities (start)**

 **-Shadow clones (500 max)**

 **-Lightning, wind release**

 **-Un-Mastered Flying Raijin**

 **-Taijutsu expert (gentle fist), shuriken expert, genjutsu average super immense speed, tremendous chakra reserves and stamina.**

 **-Highly intelligent**

 **Kushina abilities (start):**

 **-Unnatural strength**

 **-Water, earth release**

 **-Taijutsu above average, shuriken average, genjutsu below average, high speed for genin level, tremendous chakra reserves and stamina.**


	2. The Bell Test

**Shadow Mystogan Uchiha: Thanks, and you will just have to wait and see.**

 **Merendinoemiliano: Thanks. And just to be clear Minato and Itachi have taken Naruto and Sasuke's place, so they are the reincarnations of Ashura and Indra. I'm just mentioning this since in "A Fresh Start" you mentioned you never liked that whole power up thing Naruto and Sasuke got in the end of the cannon story line.**

 **MearnT: Thank you, and here you go!**

 **Anyway, so we still need some suggestion for characters whom should be aged altered and if they are going to switch places with anyone. So far, we have considered Killer Bee, Yugito, Darui, Kiba, Hana, Hanabi, Konohamaru.**

 **Okay, let's start the chapter!**

The one team that was left in the classroom, was none other than Team 7. Minato, Itachi and Kushina. Minato was looking bored as he was resting his chin on his desk while wiggling his head back and forth while pouting.

"Would you stop that!" Kushina shouted at the blond.

"But I'm booooooooooored!" Minato sulked.

"It is annoying that our Sensei is late, I will agree to that." Itachi said emotionlessly as he was sitting patiently and waiting for their Sensei to arrive.

"Huff!" Kushina pouted annoyed, getting tired of waiting. She then spotted the chalk eraser sitting on the teacher's desk and a smirked.

"What are you doing?" Itachi asked as Kushina opened the door slightly and placed the chalk eraser, stuck in the open corner.

"Punishing our Sensei for being late." Kushina replied with a cute smile. And Minato blushed a little seeing Kushina's smile, thinking she was adorable.

"His a Jonin there is no way that he will fall for-" Itachi said when suddenly the door opened and a man with spiky silver hair that was oriented to the left side, his forehead protector went over his left eye and his right eye was dark grey, and he had a mask covering the lower half of his face. He wore a green flak jacket, dark blue pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and fingerless gloves with metal plates. And the chalk eraser fell on top of his head. "… I stand corrected." Itachi said with a sweat drop while Kushina was trying to hold back her giggle and Minato was gapping thinking they were in trouble.

"Hmm, how should I take my first impression of all of you?" The masked Jonin hummed placing his right hand on his chin. "I hate you all."

"Oh no, he hates us." Minato said as his eyes turned teary making the Jonin sweat drop.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't dislike you." The masked Jonin said feeling a little bad, and Minato instantly recovered.

"How the hell will he make it as a shinobi?" Kushina questioned with a deadpan expression, seeing Minato as a goofball.

"His more skilled than everyone in our class actually, well maybe with the exception of myself." Itachi said emotionlessly.

"Your joking, right? I mean, look at him!" Kushina said not seeing Minato as anything special.

"He gets completely different once he gets serious, other than that he acts like a goof normally." Itachi said increasing Kushina's curiosity.

 **On the rooftop**

The Jonin teacher sat on the edge while facing his new three-man cell team. "Okay, why don't you tell me something about yourself?"

"Like what?" Kushina questioned.

"Oh, I don't know, your names, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future and such." The masked Jonin said sounding bored.

"Well, why don't you start? Seeing as you're the Sensei and all." Kushina said.

"Oh, fine. My name is, Kakashi Hatake. I like somethings, and dislike a lot of things. My hobbies are, none of your business your too young for that anyway. And my dreams… I don't feel like telling you them." The masked Jonin known as Kakashi said and everyone sweat dropped at that introduction.

'All we learned was his name…' They all thought in unison.

"Okay, mister sensitive." Kakashi turned to Minato.

"My name is, Minato Namikaze! I like my mom, Itachi-kun, and Kushina-chan! I dislike rude and mean people! And my dreams for the future is, to become Hokage!" Minato introduced, Itachi had a small smile while Kushina seemed a little annoyed.

"Okay, you miss tomato." Kakashi turned to Kushina.

"I'm not a tomato!" Kushina shouted angrily at their sensei, ready to pummel him to the ground.

"Yeah, Kushina-chan's hair is beautiful!" Minato said.

Kushina blushed faintly and huffed her head to the side. "My name is, Kushina Uzumaki. I like salt ramen, and pulling pranks. I dislike anything bitter and tomatoes. My hobbies are pulling pranks. And my dream for the future is to become the first female Hokage."

"Okay then, mister emotion." Kakshi turned to Itachi.

"My name is, Itachi Uchiha. I like cabbage, dango and onigiri. I dislike steak among other things. I don't have a dream, I have a goal and I will make it reality. I am going to restore my clan, and find out the truth." Itachi said motionlessly.

"Aha, I see, mostly expected. Okay then, we will not start going on missions until you have completed the genin test." Kakashi said.

"B-But we just did." Kushina said.

Kakashi chuckled. "Ah, silly miss tomato." Kushina gained a thick mark, one more word and she would punch that mask off his face. "That was just to see if you had the potential, the official test." Kakashi looked down to the ground and let out an ominous chuckle. "Let's just say it's less pleasant. With having a 66% chance of failing, more than half of you will be sent back to the academy."

Minato and Kushina's jaws almost hit the floor while Itachi looked at them with a deadpan expression. "Why are you surprised Minato, we knew about this." Itachi said.

"Yeah, but its way more intimidating here in person." Minato replied.

"Anyway, meet me tomorrow at the training grounds at eight hundred hours and bring your ninja tools. Oh, and I recommend not eating any breakfast, or else you might puke. Oh, and don't be late. Ciao!" Kakashi said as he vanished at immense speed. Leaving the three of them in their thoughts, Kushina was so nervous she was sweating bullets, Minato seemed a little terrified, and Itachi had his normal stoic expression.

 **The Next Day**

The team stood waiting on the training grounds with their stomachs growling. And Kakashi was late, Minato had fallen asleep on the grass with some droll dripping from his mouth, Itachi threw some kunai knifes at a tree, and Kushina was twitching her eyes in annoyance. "Where the hell is he?!" She shouted so loudly that Minato woke up panicking.

"I'm awake! I'm awake!" Minato kept saying.

"Relax, his not here yet." Itachi said motionlessly and kept throwing kunai knifes.

"Oh, well then nighty night." Minato went back to sleep and began snoring.

"He tends to fall asleep fast." Itachi said looking at Kushina whom was seriously struggling the urge to punch Kakashi in the face whenever he got here, Itachi could tell she might eventually take her frustration out on either him or Minato. Hench why he had made sure Minato was the closest one within her reach.

"Don't be late he said! Be on time he said! Well why is he late?!" Kushina did end up taking her frustration out on something, although it was neither Itachi nor Minato. She punched a tree making it break in two.

"Good morning class!" Kakashi greeted having finally arrived.

""You're late!"" They all shouted in unison, as Minato even managed to wake up while pointing in the wrong direction at first, until Itachi redirected his arm and head into the right direction.

They then walked into the training grounds surrounded by the forest, and Kakashi over to some tree stumps and placed an alarm clock on the tree stump in the middle. "I've set this alarm to go off at noon. I have here two small bells…" Kakashi held up two bells and the trio looked at the bells in bewilderment as to where this was leading. "Your challenge is to steal these from me before the timer sounds. Anyone who fails doesn't get any lunch. Instead you will be tied to that tree stump, so I can eat your lunch in front of you."

'So that's why you wanted us to go without breakfast!' They all thought in unison.

"All you need is just one bell apiece. But since there aren't enough to go around, one of you is definitely headed for the stump. And whoever that is will be the first of you to fail. One of you is on your way back to school and disgrace. You may, if you choose, use shuriken. Attack as though you mean to kill or you'll never stand a chance." Kakashi informed them.

"Understood." Itachi said motionlessly.

"What? But isn't that dangerous?" Kushina questioned, not actually having any desire to kill Kakashi, punch him sure, but kill him no.

"His a professional shinobi, I think he will be just fine Kushina-chan." Minato assured with a smile.

"Hmm, at least it seems you have decided to come at me with the intention to kill. Mister emotion." Kakashi said as Itachi's eyes were cold and narrowed. "I'm really starting to like you."

"Oh, looks like Itachi-kun is getting serious. Then so will I." Minato smirked and brought out a triple-prong kunai.

"Heh, looks like you're in the same boat now, mister sensitive." Kakashi smirked. "What about you, miss tomato?"

And that was the last drop. "Okay! That does it! I'm going to break every bone in your body!" Kushina cracked her knuckles.

"Well, how about that. I think I'm starting to like all three of you." Kakashi smiled underneath his mask. "And now… ready… steady… go!" Kakashi said and they all spread out across the field.

Kakashi was standing by a lake, having already located them. "The basis of all shinobi is to become invisible. Eradicate yourself." Kakashi said and looked from the corner of his eye at each of the three hiding spots. 'They are all well-hidden.' Kakashi thought, as Itachi was hidden in a tree covering himself with the leaves on the tree branches. Kushina had hidden herself behind a tree with some bushes around her, while Minato was hidden behind a few bushes.

'A shinobi waits for the perfect moment to strike.' Minato thought when suddenly to his surprise Itachi came rushing out from behind some bushes while holding two kunai knifes in his hands.

Kakashi was just as surprised. 'That was unexpected.' Kakashi thought as he avoided the swings from Itachi's kunai, Itachi jumped and swung his body in the air and delivered a kick that Kakashi blocked with his arm, Itachi then used Kakashi's arm like a springboard and leaped back and threw the two kunai knifes at the masked Jonin. 'His quick on his feet.' Kakashi thought and dodged the kunai knifes as Itachi swung his lack down towards Kakashi whom caught it. Itachi then swung his body to the side and threw a punch which Kakashi also caught, he then threw him crashing to the ground where he vanished in a puff of smoke. 'A shadow clone? I see, he was just testing me out. This boy is clever, he made a clone before I said start and had the clone hide somewhere until the exercise began. He then had the clone come from his direction distracting me while he found a better hiding spot. He noticed that I spotted him.' Kakashi thought and was actually impressed.

'As expected of Itachi-kun, I was almost worried there for a while. Hn?" Minato felt Kakashi approaching, Minato smirked as he vanished in a yellow flash.

Kakashi appeared where Minato just vanished from and widened his eyes in confusion. 'Okay, I knew he was just here a few seconds ago. And yet he somehow got much further away. Looks like I have two interesting boys on my hands here, they both already might be high Genin level and approaching Chunin. Or maybe, they already are on Chunin level. I wonder about the girl…" Kakashi vanished from the spot where he stood.

Minato appeared on the other side of the woods on the training field while holding his triple-prong kunai. 'It could still use some work, but I'm getting there.' Minato thought as he still hadn't perfected the Flying Raijin.

Itachi had hidden himself deeper into the woods, just enough to keep his eye on Kakashi while not getting spotted. 'He probably knows where I am. He just takes us lightly because we just graduated. Well, his in for a surprise.' Itachi thought with a small smile.

Kakashi went back to the area where he started, he then reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a book titled "Make-Out Paradise" Kakashi flipped the book open and began to read. "I've been dying to find out how this story ends. It shouldn't matter the outcome will be the same, considering whom I'm up against."

"Don't take me lightly!" Kushina leaped out from the bushes and threw six shurikens at her sensei whom causally jumped back to dodge them while he kept reading. "That's it!" Kushina charged at him with his fist raised and slammed her fist towards Kakashi, whom jumped back as Kushina connected her fist with the ground making a small crater.

'She possesses such strength, she's not a normal kunoichi. I might be training a very dangerous group.' Kakashi thought as he vanished and appeared behind Kushina with his hands gathered in the tiger seal. "Konohagakure villages' most secret and most sacred technique! One thousand years of death!" Kakashi aimed for the lower back of Kushina. When suddenly a yellow flash appeared before him as Kushina had a strange mark on the back of her clothing. Minato swung his foot towards Kakashi whom leaped back to dodge. "I see, Flying Raijin huh? No wonder you were able to escape that quickly. To think a Genin learned to use it." Kakashi said as he noticed that Minato's expression was different. It was cold, his blue eyes narrowed and calculative.

Minato briefly turned towards Kushina and gave her a warm smile. "You should be more careful, Kushina-chan. We are a team, so let's work together." He then returned to his cold calculative expression as he turned towards Kakashi once more.

'So, he can be serious when he wants to be huh? That look is that of a tactician, his analyzing my every move.' Kakashi thought.

"Right, Itachi-kun?" Minato said as Itachi appeared in the blink of an eye next to his teammates.

"I was hoping for a subtler approach." Itachi said motionlessly.

"Well, Kushina-chan seems to think differently. Besides, we all needed to confront him eventually. Why not do it while we have plenty of time?" Minato questioned, and Itachi knew he couldn't argue with that argument.

The young Uchiha sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm going to need a long rest after all this." Itachi opened his eyes that were now red with three black tomoes circling around it with a black dot in the center. "Let's hurry up and get this over with, together."

""Right!"" Minato and Kushina said in unison.

'His already mastered his sharingan huh? Yep, these three… these three will definitely become monsters in the future, just what has Lord Third signed me up for?' Kakashi closed his book. "Looks like I won't be able to read it during this one." Kakashi put his book back in his pouch. 'What's more, those two seemed to have known the true purpose of this exercise all along.' Kakashi thought looking at Minato and Itachi. "Well, what are you waiting for? Do you want your lunches or not?" Kakashi asked mockingly.

Minato then at immense speed formed a few hand seals. 'So, fast…' Kushina thought in awe.

 **Lighting Style: Lightning Ball!**

Minato formed multiple spheres of electric energy and sent them blasting towards Kakashi. Kakashi widened his eyes a bit before jumping back dodging the spheres as they crashed one at a time on each spot Kakashi landed. Making the Jonin keep bouncing around dodging the spheres. Suddenly a triple-pong kunai flew in front of him, and in yellow flash appeared Minato whom blasted Kakashi directly with a lightning sphere. Kakashi was then replaced by a log.

'Looks like he already knows some ninjutsu… not bad.' Kakashi landed on back on the ground. When he then spotted Itachi in front of him with his hands in the tiger seal while he inhaled his breath.

 **Fire Style: Fireball!**

Itachi spitted out a massive ball of fire right at Kakashi whom quickly performed a few hand seals and then slammed his palms to the ground.

 **Earth Style: Mud Wall!**

A wall popped up from the ground decorated with what looked like dog heads formed out of mud. The wall blocked the blazing inferno. Itachi looked down as an arm popped up from the ground and pulled him down creating a cloud of dust. When the dust cleared, it revealed Kakashi bending down to look at Itachi's head which was popping up from the ground. "Not bad kid, better luck next time." Kakashi said when suddenly Itachi vanished in a puff of smoke. "Of course." Kakashi turned around and blocked a kunai with his own, protecting the bells which was Itachi's target.

"Hn. Now!" Itachi shouted.

 **Water Style: Wild Water Wave!**

Kushina spitted out a wave of water directly at Kakashi, washing him away. Kakashi was pushed back by the water until he managed to grab onto a tree branch and leap onto the branch, watching as the water washed away. 'Are they planning to throw ninjutsu at me only?' Kakashi thought.

Itachi smiled a little as he used a kunai to cut a wire as multiple kunai knifes came flying out from the trees around Kakashi and towards him. Kakashi widened his eyes as he spotted the paper bombs attached to the kunai knifes. He quickly leaped of the tree branch as it exploded in a fiery explosion.

'They purposely drove me there, I underestimated them. Kushina is at high Genin level, while Itachi and Minato… Are Mid Chunin at least.' Kakashi thought when suddenly Minato appeared behind him in a yellow flash as a triple-prong kunai was stabbed into a tree branch behind Kakashi.

 **Wind Style: Gale Palm!**

Minato clapped his hands together, sending a powerful gale of wind crashing into Kakashi's back, sending him flying forwards towards Itachi and Kushina, whom were ready with kunai knifes. Kakashi narrowed his eyes, and once he landed his feet on the ground right in front of Itachi and Kushina, he quickly leaped up dodging the two of them. He landed behind them and skidded back a bit. 'Maybe I should try a little harder…' Kakashi thought looking at these three kids, these three shinobi in front of him.

"I'll take the lead, you two attack when you find an opening." Itachi said acting as team leader and went charging head on towards Kakashi.

"Why is he in charge?" Kushina asked.

"Nah, I don't know he just got this aura around him that makes me feel confident in his abilities as a leader." Minato replied with a small smile as his eyes remained narrowed.

'These two really are the best from our class? I always knew Itachi was good… but Minato? He always acts like such a goof I never thought that much of him…' Kushina thought when she remembered Itachi's words in class while they were waiting to meet Kakashi for the first time. _"His more skilled than anyone in our class actually, well maybe with the exception of myself."_

Itachi used his sharingan to dodge all of Kakashi's moves and even managed to copy his fighting style. They both threw a punch and grabbed the others fist pushing them closer to each other. Itachi glared into Kakashi's eyes with his sharingan rotating. 'This one… might be the most talented Uchiha I have ever meet with maybe the exception of Shisui Uchiha. This boy might be able to surpass Shisui at some point even…' Kakashi thought.

"No wonder my genjutsu is not working… this is a Shadow Clone." Itachi said as Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke. "The real one is below." Itachi leaped up as two arms popped up from the ground beneath him trying to grab him.

 **Fire Style: Fireball!**

Itachi spitted out a ball of fire down at the ground were Kakashi's arms popped up from. The ground burned in a blazing inferno and Minato performed some hand seals and spitted a wave of wind at the fire making it burn more intensely. Kakashi then popped up from the ground a few feet away from the blazing inferno. "That was close." Kakashi said carelessly. "You almost burned of the tip of my hair." Behind Itachi leaped up another Itachi holding three kunai. 'His fast with his hands, I didn't even see him wave the hand signs for a Shadow Clone.' Kakashi thought as the second Itachi threw the kunai knifes at Kakashi stabbing them into him.

"N-No way! Itachi you killed him!" Kushina shouted worriedly and then Kakashi turned into a log.

Itachi noticed in the corner of his eye that Kakashi was behind him, Itachi won't be able to dodge in time. Then a kunai flew between them and Minato appeared in a yellow flash, grabbed onto Itachi and they both vanished in a yellow flash. They both then appeared next to Kushina. "You okay, Itachi-kun?"

"Yeah, thanks." Itachi replied motionlessly as Kakashi stood in front of them with his hands in his pocket.

"You sure are troublesome children. But your still no match for me." Kakashi said.

"Itachi-kun, I have an idea." Minato smirked.

"Let's hear it." Itachi said and Minato whispered into Itachi's ear. "Aha, I see. Interesting," Itachi said and they turned to face Kakashi.

"I assume you already have a plan of your own as well?" Minato asked looking at Itachi in the corner of his eye.

"Of course." Itachi replied.

"Care to tell?" Minato asked.

"No." Itachi replied.

Kakashi formed a few hand seals when suddenly a small gush of wind blew around them, blowing leaf's around them in a circle. "Wh-What the?" Kushina questioned in bewilderment.

"This is-" Minato said.

"Genjutsu." Itachi finished and widened his sharingan, while Minato formed a hand seal.

Kushina closed her eyes as the wind blew some of her hair into her eyes. When she opened them again in front her was a field of Minato's.

""Kushina-chan!"" The Minato's said with a goofy grin simultaneously.

Kushina blinked her eyes in bewilderment at first, then she smirked devilish. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this!" Kushina cracked her knuckles. She then began punching various of the Minato's beating them all to a pulp. "Yeah! Minato-kun do you want me to punch your stupid face harder?!"

Meanwhile in reality. Kushina screamed in pain at first that later resulted in this as she was on the ground. "Mm…ah… Minato-kun… harder…" Kushina uttered the few words from her genjutsu.

Kakashi had a confused expression, while Minato had a blush on his face, and Itachi had his normal stoic expression with a raised eyebrow. "What's going on?" Itachi questioned.

"Wh-What are you doing to Kushina-chan's innocence?! Ero mask!" Minato pointed at Kakashi accusingly.

"I have no idea! She was supposed to see her worst fear!" Kakashi defended himself.

Minato then bend down and placed his palm on her forehead and focused his chakra into her, breaking her free from the genjutsu. Kushina opened her eyes and spotted Minato, thinking she was still in the genjutsu she punched Minato in the gut. Minato looked like his eyes were going to pop out as he clenched his arms over his gut and fell over. "Wh-Why did you do that… Kushina-chan?" Minato uttered trying to catch his breath.

"Oh, wait I'm back in reality?" Kushina questioned innocently.

Itachi let out a deep sigh. "Minato, get back up already, and walk it off." Itachi said harshly.

"Y-Your acting too harsh… Itachi-kun." Minato managed to get back up while still clenching his arms over his gut.

"I only act harsh when we have to complete a mission. Now get up already, it can't be that bad." Itachi said, although he knew what Kushina was capable off considering she managed to punch a tree and break it in half, and create a small crater with one punch as well.

"Let her punch you in the gut, then we will decide." Minato said glaring at his best friend.

"I would rather not experience unnecessary pain thank you very much." Itachi said motionlessly.

"Aha! So, you admit it's painful!" Minato shouted.

"I never said it wasn't painful, just that it couldn't be that bad." Itachi said with a deadpan expression. "Anyway, get back to the task at hand, please." Itachi said as they still had to take the bells from Kakashi. Minato huffed and returned to serious mode, Minato formed a few hand seals.

 **Shadow Clone Jutsu!**

A large puff cloud of smoke appeared around Minato, when the smoke cleared it revealed at least five hundred identical clones to Minato. Everyone had a surprised expression at the amount number of clones Minato was able to create. Even Itachi was surprised by this. "It's my dream all over again!" Kushina said.

"You were violated by a group of Minato's?" Itachi questioned.

"Huh? No, I beat up a bunch of him to a bloody pulp." Kushina replied.

Itachi sweat dropped and made sense of the words she uttered earlier. "Makes sense… although it's easy to have it confused with something else." Itachi said as Kushina gained a confused expression.

"Attack!" The army of Minato's charged at Kakashi.

"Huh." Kakashi let out a sigh and began punching Minato after Minato and they vanished in a puff of smoke, he grabbed a clone by the wrist and swung him into another, ducked from a kick from another and grabbed another clones fist, elbowing the one that tried to kick him in the gut, and kneeing the one that tried to punch him in the gut, and they both vanished in a puff of smoke.

All the Minato's leaped up with a smirk as they all held out a triple-prong kunai. "I-Is he going to…" Kushina said with wide eyes in awe.

"Yep." Itachi replied.

Kakashi quickly realized what situation he was in and threw multiple shurikens around him, hitting various of the clones making them vanish in a puff of smoke. However, it was not enough. "New technique, Secret Ninja-art!"

 **Multi Flash!**

All the Minato's threw the triple-prong kunai knifes into different directions and they all in an instant vanished, and reappeared at the spot their kunai knifes were. Kakashi was surrounded as all the Minato's clapped their hands together.

 **Gale Palm!**

Kakashi was bombarded with waves of wind crashing all around him. Once all the dust cleared it revealed Kakashi with some of his clothing torn, and then three triple-prong kunai flew around him and three Minato's appeared in a flash, reaching for the bells. Just when they grabbed them Kakashi was replaced by a Minato clone. "Not bad sensei." Minato grinned as Kakashi had managed to replace himself with one of Minato's clones.

Kakashi was standing by the lake, looking carefree as he read his book again. "Oh damn, and I was hoping to get more reading time." Kakashi put the book away, when suddenly he felt a lot of chakra being infused into the lake. He turned to the side seeing Kushina with a hand seal.

 **Water Style: Water Dragon!**

Some water from the lake rose up and formed into a giant bubble that later turned into a Chinese dragon made out of water. The water dragon charged at Kakashi whom was surprised by Kushina being able to pull this kind of jutsu at her age.

Kushina panted and looked like this was her finishing move, her last resort so to speak. She let out a war cry as the water dragon was about to attack Kakashi. Kakashi then had lightning flickering between his palms, he sent a wave of lightning that wrapped itself around the water dragon, strangling it and crushing it to the point where it exploded and water rained down on them. 'These kids… are definitely not ordinary…." Kakashi then widened his eyes as he could feel bloodlust coming from behind him, he reacted like any shinobi and turned around and stabbed a kunai into this person's gut. He then widened his eyes in shock and terror seeing it was Itachi that looked at him with sharingan. 'No, damn it!' Kakashi thought when suddenly Itachi's body turned into a murder of crows. 'He caught me in a genjutsu!' Kakashi thought and quickly formed a hand seal, focusing his chakra forcing himself to break free from the genjutsu.

Once he was back in reality he saw Itachi inches away from cutting one of the bells, attached to Kakashi's pants, away with a kunai. Kakashi grabbed Itachi's wrist and swung him to the side. Itachi landed with his back turned to Kakashi, he then turned around with a smile on his lips. "Hn." Itachi held in his hand one of the bells.

"Wh-What?" Kakashi looked at the bells, as one of them faded away showing only one left. 'He placed me in a weaker illusion the moment I broke free from the first one which was a distraction, to make it look like I still had both bells. This is the first time a genin actually managed to steal one of the bells.' Kakashi thought when he dodged a punch from Kushina. "Two of you left then." Kakashi said as Kushina threw multiple punches out of frustration. Just when Kakashi stepped to the side a yellow flash appeared and a kunai cut of the last bell. As Minato used the Flying Raijin mark that he had placed on Kushina. 'Scratch that, two genin.' Kakashi thought surprised.

'Now it's my time to show Kushina how much of a gentleman I really am.' Minato thought and gently kicked the bell so it landed in Kushina's hands. "Oh no, I accidently dropped the bell. How clumsy of me." Minato said, in a tone which made it too obvious he was faking. Once he landed on the ground he looked at Kushina with a grin. "Guess you win, Kushina-chan-!" Minato said when suddenly Kushina threw the bell right in his face with so much force it left a red mark and Minato almost fell over.

"I don't need your pity! Dattebane!" Kushina shouted while clenching her fist.

"Wh-What are you talking about Kushina-chan? Here just take the bell you caught it." Minato said holding the bell.

"You're the one who got it! I don't need you pity you beat me fair and square! So, keep that stupid bell!" Kushina pushed Minato's hand with the bell back.

"But I want you to have it." Minato said.

"Well I don't want it!"

It's yours!"

"No, yours!" They kept going back and forth.

"How about I give one of you mine?" Itachi asked with a motionless expression.

""We don't want it either! You keep it!"" They both said in unison.

Kakashi stared at this scene and let out a small chuckle. "This is the first time anyone has taken the bells from me, I never expected you three to argue on who's going to have them." Kakashi continued to chuckle as the trio looked at their sensei. "You all pass!" Kakashi declared with a smile.

""Huh?!"" Minato and Kushina said in unison.

"Minato, again we knew this." Itachi said with a sweat drop.

"I know but I don't want to make Kushina-chan feeling left out." Minato whispered when suddenly his crush punched him upside the head.

"You were faking your reaction?! Who does that, seriously!" Kushina shouted.

"Me I guess…" Minato rubbed the spot on the top of his head.

"Pfft!" Kushina began letting out a laughter which Minato thought was the cutest laughter ever. "You really are weird you know that?"

"She's not wrong you know." Itachi said with a warm friendly smile.

"Anyway, since I was left out. Why did we all pass if I didn't get a bell? I thought only two of us would pass?" Kushina questioned in confusion.

"The real purpose of this exercise, was teamwork. Which you all did perfectly, even when you succeeded you were willing to help your comrade out. So, you all pass." Kakashi replied while smiling underneath his mask.

"Really?" Kushina questioned.

"Why did you think they divided us into teams?" Itachi said.

"That's right. A true shinobi seeks for the hidden meanings within meanings. In a ninja's world, those who violate rules and fail to follow orders… are scum. However… those who do not care for their comrades are worse than scum. Those are the words my best friend once told me." Kakashi said and looked at a stone, a stone with several names engraved in them.

"What's that stone?" Kushina questioned.

"It's a list of heroes within our village… the kind of heroes who died in the line of duty… My best friend's names are even engraved here." Kakashi said as they all gained a look of sadness for their sensei.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Now then, eat your lunches." Kakashi said.

"But there are only two boxes…" Kushina said.

"So, we share." Minato suggested.

"No, you guys take them, I'm not hungry." Itachi said as they all looked at him in confusion. "I already ate before coming here."

"B-But he said not to-" Minato said.

"He advised us not to, not that we weren't allowed." Itachi corrected.

"My, my, aren't you a smart one." Kakashi smiled underneath his mask.

"… I was too afraid to break the law…" Minato uttered as he had a feeling it might be something like that but he didn't want to risk it. Same with Kushina.

"Okay, you two dig in then!" Kakashi said as the two who hadn't eaten anything all morning began chowing down what the lunch boxes contained. Itachi then picked something out from his pouch, it was a bag of dango.

Itachi then looked at Kakashi. "You didn't say that we weren't allowed to bring snacks either." Itachi said with a motionless expression and began munching on his dango.

"Your all an interesting bunch, mister emotion." Kakashi smiled underneath his mask.

"Don't call me that." Itachi said motionlessly.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "We will see if I stop with the nicknames or not." He then looked at the trio and gave them a thump up. "This exercise is now concluded! You all pass! That's all for today, Team 7 your duties will commence tomorrow!"

"I did it! I did it! I'm a ninja! Dattebane!" Kushina smiled brightly and brought her two new teammates in for a big hug.

"This is the greatest moment of my life…" Minato uttered with a sparkle of a tear running down his right eye.

Itachi wasn't sure if Minato meant becoming a ninja, or being hugged by Kushina was "the greatest moment" of his life. Itachi let out a sigh and had a small smile on his lips.

 **A few days later**

The group was gathered in the training grounds once again, this time with a photographer. "Okay, hold still now." The photographer said as his head was covered by a black sheet as he adjusted the camera. "Say cheese!" A glimpse from the camera shined. And now we were left with a photo of Kakashi whom was smiling beneath his mask as he had his hands on top of Minato and Itachi's head ruffling their hair a little, Itachi was on Kakashi's right with a small smile on his lips, as Minato was on the left with a big grin on his face while holding his right hand to his headband that he was so proud of, and Kushina in the middle with Kakashi behind her as she gave a cute little smile. Team 7 was formed, consisting of Minato Namikaze, Itachi Uchiha, and Kushina Uzumaki.

 **That's the end for now!**

 **So, how did you guys think this chapter went? How was the bell test? I'm sure you all know this but keep in mind Kakashi was holding back so much, not as much as he did in the cannon with Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura, but he still held back. So, we decided on Minato and Itachi being on mid Chunin level for now while Kushina is high Genin level.**

 **Hope some of you don't mind on Kushina being able to use the water dragon jutsu. Since she's an Uzumaki and all she has tremendous chakra and reserves, and she is quite talented, Minato and Itachi may have been able to graduate 1 year after being on the academy, but Kushina could have graduated early to, not as early as Minato and Itachi since they are both the definition on prodigies. And since the Third Hokage came with the law of no one is able to graduate early anymore they all graduated together. Which actually means they were also held back a little bit since they didn't get the opportunities to improve their skills in the battle field, which is why Minato and Itachi is not as strong as they were in their age in the actual cannon.**

 **Also, should Kakashi stop with the nicknames?**

 **Anyway, leave a review!**

 **-Later!**


	3. Zabuza of the Mist!

**merendinoemiliano: Thanks! And so be it the nicknames will continue, and the power ups at the end did seem bullshit to some we are aware we might need to find out how to somehow give Minato and Itachi those powers as well since they would need it at the end but we will try to find maybe a different way of giving it to them.**

 **seant5054: Hmm, an interesting option, we will think about it.**

 **Guest: Your welcome, well as long as you can understand what I write in the story its fine.**

 **Okay, let's start the chapter!**

Inside the woods on the very outskirt of the villages boarder a shadowy creature was leaping through the bushes. **"How far away is the target?"** Kakashi's voice was heard through a head set.

" **Five meters away and closing. I'm in position."** Itachi's voice was heard through the head set.

" **Copy that mister emotion. Miss tomato, and mister oversensitive, what about you?"** Kakashi asked through the head set.

"I'm in position." Minato spoke through the head set over his right ear and readied a kunai as the shadowy figure was moving towards them.

" **I'm in position. And don't call me miss tomato!"** Kushina yelled the last part through the head set leaving a ringing tone.

" **And that might have killed my hearing…"** Kakashi spoke in a lazy like tone.

" **Kushina's little outburst might have ruined my hearing as well…"** Itachi spoke in a motionless tone.

"Kushina-chan, you almost popped my eardrum…" Minato uttered rubbing his hand over his ear. "Anyway, the target has arrived."

" **Okay, go!"** Kakashi said through the head set.

Minato in a speed of light threw his kunai and vanished in a flash of light and appeared right in front of the shadowy figure that jumped towards him while hissing in surprise. "Gotcha!" Minato grabbed a hold of a cat with a ribbon on its right ear.

" **Remember our quarry has a ribbon on its right ear that says tiger… make sure there's no mistake."** Kakashi spoke through the head set.

"Target confirmed." Itachi said as he and Kushina leaped down next to Minato whom was holding the cat while grinning.

"Gotcha, you little fur ball." Minato smirked when suddenly the cat began scratching his face. "Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts!"

" **Good then mission find the missing pet. Is accomplished."** Kakashi spoke through the head set and Itachi picked up the cat away from Minato that had scratch marks on his face from the cats claws while crying a little.

The very next moment they were inside of an office building with the cat being almost crushed in a hug by a fat lady that was its owner. In front of them was the Third Hokage and Iruka whom were going over various new assignments that had come in. "Poor Tiger… Good little kitty-kitty. I was so worried about you I could have died!" The woman said as she was hugging the cat that looked like it was crying.

'I wonder how that poor cat puts up with that?' Minato thought as with his teammates they all felt sorry for the cat.

'I don't blame him for running away, if that was waiting home for me I would have run away to.' Kushina thought.

'I agree with the poor Tiger part…' Itachi thought keeping an emotionless expression.

"Now the next assignment for Kakashi's Team Seven will be… Hmm, to baby-sit for the council of elders… To run errands to neighboring village… To help dig sweet potatoes…" The Third Hokage went over the long list.

"No way! No thank you! Boring! Give us something different to do! Something important! Something amazing!" Kushina shouted having had enough of these lame jobs.

"Kushina-chan, we have to be happy with what we got…" Minato tried to calm down the raging red head. 'Although I suppose having a more important job wouldn't hurt…'

'She's got a point.' Itachi thought as he wanted to grow stronger and as fast as possible and he would have a better chance at it on more advanced assignments.

'Be grateful for what you got…' Kakashi let out an inwardly sigh.

"Don't be a fool! You're only a beginner level team! Everyone starts out doing grunt work. It's where you get experience, so you can work your way up to the bigger things!" Iruka shouted.

"We've been on so many small missions already! We want some action!" Kushina shouted back.

"That's enough. Knock it off." Kakashi gave a light punch to Kushina's head.

"Heh, you remind me a lot of the Forth." The Third Hokage, Hiruzen let out a light chuckle being reminded of the blond knuckle head ninja.

"Huh?" Kushina widened her eyes slightly at what the Third Hokage said.

"Let me tell you something. Every day, our village receives many missions… for everything from babysitting to assassination. We take that tremendous variety… and sort them into categories from A to D, based on the degree of skills they require. We also divide the shinobi into classes… based on the level of their skills. After we of the upper echelon have sorted all the requests. We distribute them to those ninja with the appropriate skill level. And if the ninja in question completes their duties successfully. Then the grateful person he has helped pays him a fee. Thus far the three of you have only attained the lowest rank… level D tasks are the best you could aspire to with your rank of genin." The Third Hokage went on to explain.

"I don't care! The three of us are easily stronger than any of the other genin! Kakashi-sensei even said so!" Kushina said and huffed to the side while pouting.

"Well fair enough that is true, these two are easily already chunin level and Kushina is close to that level herself." Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head as he didn't really want to talk back to the Third Hokage.

"Hmm, guess I can't argue with that." Hiruzen said with a small smirk on his wrinkly old face. "I will permit you to go on a C-class ranked mission. Usually reserved for shinobi of the journeyman level. The protection of a certain individual."

"Who is it?! Some great lord?!" Kushina questioned with excitement.

"The Daimyo?! A princess?!" Minato questioned in equal excitement.

"Compose yourself. I'll perform the introduction straightaway. Please invite him in." The Third Hokage, Hiruzen said and the door behind Team Seven opened an in cam an old gray haired bearded man with a pair of glasses. He wore a sleeveless V-neck shirt with an obi, pants and a pair of sandals, he also had a towel around his neck. He was holding a bottle of sake and his face was slightly red.

"What's going on here? They look like a bunch of wet-nosed brats. Especially the one that looks like a tomato. It's a joke, right? You kids aren't really ninja, are you?" The man asked looking condescendingly at his so-called guards.

"Oh no…" Minato uttered looking over at Kushina whom glared at the old man in anger.

"Imma kill 'em! Dattebane!" Kushina was about to charge at the old man with her fists clenched but she was being held back by Minato.

"Kushina-chan! We can't kill him! We're supposed to protect him!" Minato struggled to hold his crush back from tearing the old man apart. While Itachi and Kakashi looked at them with their eyes narrowed and a stoic expression.

"I am Tazuna. A bridge builder of ultimate renown. Until I am safely back in my own country, where I'll be completing my next bridge, you'll all be expected to protect me… even if it costs you your lives!" The old man introduced himself.

And the very next moment they were at the boarder gate to the village with the bridge builder. "All right! Road trip! " Minato cheered in excitement.

"Why are you so excited?" Kushina asked with a raised brow.

"This will be the first time I have ever been outside of the village!" Minato replied looking around outside of the gate to take in the scenery.

"You don't have any need to get this excited from exiting just the gate though." Itachi pointed out.

"Am I really expected to place my life in the hands of these brats?" Tazuna looked at Kakashi while pointing at Minato, Itachi and Kushina.

"No need for concern, I am an elite ninja and I can assure you that these three are not your average children." Kakashi said while smiling beneath his mask.

Kushina looked annoyed at the old man for underestimating her, and the others, she didn't like that this old geezer was this condescending towards them. "Listen here you old geezer! You better not mess with us ninja dattebane! I am going to become the first female Hokage! So you better remember me! it's Uzumaki Kushina dattebane!"

"Hokage eh? You? The lord of your village? I don't think you have it in ya little girl." Tazuna drank from his sake bottle while giving her a look that said "yeah right" and this made Kushina even angrier.

"Your old and stupid! When I become Hokage, you're gonna wish you showed me more respect!" Kushina shouted and Minato looked at her with a smile as he liked her spirit.

"Respect you? I don't think so. Not even if you did become the Hokage." Tazuna mocked the little redhead.

"That's it! Imma kill him!" Kushina was about to charge and Minato once again grabbed her holding her back.

"You can't Kushina-chan! We have to protect him!" Minato said while holding back the redhead. "And you shouldn't mock us ninja, old man Tazuna! Because I'm going to become Hokage too!" Minato declared with a wide grin.

"Heh, yeah right. A childish brat like you, give me a break." Tazuna took a drink from his sake and Minato twitched his eyes, with a slight temptation to release the red headed beast of a girl on the man.

"Kakashi-sensei, if my knowledge is correct, the Land of Waves doesn't have any Shinobi, right? Unlike the five great nations like Konoha." Itachi said while looking at his sensei.

"Yes that is correct, so on this job we shouldn't have to worry about encountering enemy Shinobi." Kakashi replied.

They then walked passed a water puddle and Kakashi and Itachi looked at that puddle before they kept on walking. "Shouldn't is the word, but people from villages with no Shinobi can still hire Shinobi."

"That is true, although you only encounter other Shinobi on B rank missions or higher." Kakashi kept up his normal bored look although he was amazed at the knowledge of this one genin.

"Then this is a B rank mission then." Itachi stopped as two cloaked young men with gas masks and a claw on their right arms with chains coming out from them. The two figures aimed for Kakashi with the chains, but then Itachi tossed shuriken towards each of the chains stabbing through one of the holes and then threw a kunai to attach the shuriken holding the chains into a tree each. Minato appeared between the two-cloaked shinobi and delivered a powerful spin kick to the one on the left in the cheek knocking him out.

The one on the right tried to break free but was then he got a powerful kick to the chin by Itachi, making the cloaked shinobi fall over the other one and then fell to the ground making their chains go over each other, and then Itachi threw one final kunai stabbing into the ground through both the chains.

Kushina couldn't even react she just looked in awe same as Tazuna whom was shocked at the skills of the two boys, he didn't even see Minato move an inch, yet in less than a second he was between those two cloaked men. "Well aren't the two of you sharp." Kakashi complimented his two students. "But you know I could have dealt with them on my own."

"Thought it would be good to reassure the old man that we know how to fight." Itachi said with his normal stoic expression as he and Minato stood over the two knocked out Shinobi. "Judging by from their headbands they are from the hidden Mist." Itachi looked at the headbands on the two cloaked men that had four wavy lines on them with two lines over the other two.

Kakashi grabbed the two cloaked men and tied them up together with their own chains. "Tazuna."

"Wha-What is it?" Tazuna asked with a little hint of concern and fear in his voice.

"I need to speak with you." Kakashi gave Tazuna a serious glance. "Our attackers appeared to be journeymen level ninja of the Hidden Mist village ninjas, they are shinobi renowned for their willingness to fight on until their goal is achieved. Even at the cost of their own lives."

"How did you know we were watching you?" One of the cloaked Hidden Mist ninjas asked sending them a nasty glare.

"The sun is out, not to mention it hasn't rained for several days. So there shouldn't even be water puddles in the ground now. You guys aren't that smart, are ya?" Minato said with a smirk that looked kind of condescending for the Hidden Mist ninjas.

"Precisely, although I would wish the two of you would let me find out who their target was." Kakashi said looking over at Itachi and Minato, whom the latter rubbed the back of his head with a nervous smirk.

"No problem." Itachi said with a stoic face and walked up to the two Hidden Mist ninjas and looked them in the eyes. Then his eyes flared up in a red glow, he looked at them with the sharingan and the two Hidden Mist ninjas widened their eyes in shock before they looked drowsy as they were under Itachi's genjutsu. "Tell me, who was your target?"

"The bridge builder… Tazuna…" One of them uttered in a drowsy like tone.

"Got all you needed?" Itachi asked looking at Kakashi from the corner of his eye.

Kakashi then looked sternly at Tazuna. "The request that was relayed to Lord Hokage was that you have an escort to protect you against any roving bands of thieves and brigands. Not dealing with other ninjas. In any case, it's clear that this is more of a B rank mission. To protect you from ordinary dangers until you complete the bridge you're currently constructing… would be a simple thing. But if you expected to be the target of a ninja assault. Then it is beyond question that this would have been classified and priced as a mission for elite ninjas. You may have had your reasons, but it's never a good idea to conceal the facts when you are asking for help. As it is this task falls far beyond the boundaries of the job we were assigned. This is complicated…"

"…"

"We can handle it! Kakashi-sensei, please let us still do this mission!" Kushina pleaded wanting to become a greater shinobi fast so she could one day become Hokage. Itachi and Minato also wanted to still go on the job, Itachi so that he could become stronger as fast as possible, Minato for the same reason as Kushina he also wanted to become Hokage.

"Although you may have the skill, you guys still don't have the experience." Kakashi pointed out the obvious to his pupils.

"But isn't this the best way for us to gain experience then?" Minato asked showing that he also wanted to still go on the mission.

"Mm." Kakashi rubbed his head and let out a sigh.

"Master… Sensei-san… sir. I... have something I need to say…" Tazuna said looking a little nervous. "Uh—there is something you should know… about the request for help I made to your village. As you probably guessed, this job is more dangerous than you and you students were led to believe. There's a real scary man who wants to see me dead."

"A real scary man…?" Minato questioned with a raised brow.

"Who is he?" Kakashi questioned.

"You've probably heard of him. He's a billionaire in the field of marine transportation. His name is Gato!" Tazuna said with a serious look.

"You mean… Gato… of Gato Shipping and Transport? The Gato? They say he's the richest man in the world!" Kakashi said with a slight shocked look as his one eye that was visible widened.

"That's the one of the surface, he looks like a legitimate businessman. The truth is he's a ruthless, murdering, criminal who employs gangs and teams of Shinobi, and traffics in drugs and contraband. He starts out taking over companies… and ends up running entire countries. He lives by every low and vicious trade known to man. It was just one year ago… that he set his sights on the land of waves. He came under the guise of a business venture. Then the violence began, and in no time at all, he'd take over our entire marine transportation and shipping industry, and we were all under his thumb. Gato now has a stronghold on all forms of transportation, the lifeblood of an island nation, and a stranglehold on all the wealth. The only thing he has to fear is that which has been underway for some time… the completion of that bridge." Tazuna explained.

"I see, and since you're the architect of the bridge and overseer of its construction he sees you as a burden in his way." Kushina said.

"That would mean the two that attacked us earlier are some of the ninjas this Gato has hired." Itachi said.

"Hmm, I wonder if he has hired anyone more dangerous than those two? They were kind of weak." Minato said.

"But I still don't understand… if you knew you were the target of a ruthless thug with ninja at disposal. Why didn't you hire more high ranking shinobi?" Kakashi questioned as he had a good clue as to why, but he needed to be sure.

"The Land of Waves is a very poor nation. Even our local Lords are poor… And I have no money at all. An elite B ranked bodyguard would be a lot more than I could afford… But if you all turn away from me now… Then I'm as good as dead. But… But oh well! That's not your concern! You won't be there to see my daughter and ten-year-old grandson cry all day like their hearts are breaking! Oh! And you won't mind if my daughter vows eternal hatred of all the ninja of your village as she lives her life alone! Heck! Well, it's not your fault!" Tazuna said while letting out a laughter and giving them a guilt trip.

'Wow, guilt trip much?' The three genin thought in unison with narrowed eyes and a sweat drop.

"Well… I suppose it can't be helped. We'll continue to protect you at least until you return to your country!" Kakashi said nervously while thinking this was the worst mission ever.

They went on until they reached the sea where they were met by a man onboard a rowboat. After some time, a thick fog surrounded them. "Wow, this is some fog. I can barely see a thing." Minato said trying to see if he could see anything in the fog.

"We'll be able to see the bridge in a minute. On the other side of it is the Land of Waves." The boatman said and then they saw a bridge that was under construction came to view through the thick mist.

"Whoa! It's huge!" Minato and Kushina looked at the bridge in awe.

"Hey keep it down!" The boatman scolded. "This mist will keep us hidden. But from this point on, we have to turn off our engines and row. We'd be in big trouble if Gato caught us."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"We'll be there soon! Tazuna… so far it looks like we've been overlooked. Just to be on the safe side we'll take an inland waterway through town to a point where we can make landfall under the cover of mangroves." The boatman said to the old bridge builder.

"Thank you." Tazuna bowed his head slightly.

They rowed in to a rundown dock next to a rundown house. "This is as far as I go. Take care of yourself." The boatman said before he started rowing away.

"Thanks… for taking such a risk. I shouldn't have asked." Tazuna said feeling truly grateful. "Ok! Now if I can just make it home in one piece…" Tazuna said as he started walking with his new bodyguards.

"Yeah, yeah." Kakashi said knowing there was bound to be another attack, this time by a superior ninja even. As they were walking through the woods they came across a lake and suddenly Kakashi felt killing intent coming from somewhere close, and so did Minato and Itachi, even Kushina looked like she felt it a bit. "Everyone! Get down!" Kakashi shouted and they all quickly got down as something big flew spinning over them, it was a massive sword and it got stuck in a tree having missed its targets, and suddenly someone jumped onto the hilt of the blade.

Team 7 widened their eyes as they looked up at the tall muscular light grayish skinned man, he had short dark black spiky hair and light brown eyes, and small eyebrows. He wore bandages around the lower half of his face like a mask, he wore his Hidden Mist headband sideways. He was shirtless with all that covered his chest being a belt, he also wore baggy pants with striped pattern, and mimetic wrist-warmers extending up to his elbows and matching leg-warmers. He glanced over at Kakashi viewing him as the only threat to him from the looks of it.

Kakashi glanced back at the man, looking like he knew who this man was. "Well, well… if it isn't Zabuza Momochi, the kid who ran off and left the Hidden Mist." Kakashi didn't take his eyes of this Zabuza. "Get back you guys, this guy is on a whole different league than those other two we encountered. And if I have to face him, it had better be… like this. This may get a little rough." Kakashi placed his hand over the part of his headband that was covering his eye.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan eye, I presume? If it wouldn't be too much trouble. Could you surrender the old man?" Zabuza said as they both stared each other down.

'Sharingan? Why did he call Kakashi-sensei that? Only members of the Uchiha clan possesses the Sharingan…' Itachi thought and looked at his sensei with a slight confused expression that was shared by Minato and Kushina.

"Assume the manji battle formation! Protect Mr. Tazuna…" Kakashi ordered. "All of you stay out of this fight. That's the kind of teamwork this situation demands. And now… Zabuza. Shall we?" Kakashi lifted up his headband and revealed a red glowing eye with three black tomoe and a black dot in the center and a scar going over his eye. Itachi widened his eyes and looked like he demanded some answers, the only other way someone not from the Uchiha got get a Sharingan was through an eye transplant.

"Ahh… To face the legendary Sharingan so early in our acquaintance… This is an honor." Zabuza said.

"Sharingan? What the heck is it anyway?! Databane!" Kushina questioned feeling left out.

"Shinboi who have the sharingan… have mastered a form of ocular ninjutsu. It enables them to penetrate and see the reality behind any illusion. And to reflect the power back at those who cast them. It also grants the user the ability to see through taijutsu and ninjutsu and even go as far as to copy the ninjutsu as long as it's not a gekkei genkai. The Sharingan is the gekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan." Itachi explained it to the red head.

"Wait, but why does Kakashi-sensei have it?" Kushina questioned.

"That's what I'd like to know…" Itachi glanced over at Kakashi whom gave him a look saying that he would explain it later.

"Indeed, that is exactly right." Zabuza gave a light dark chuckle. "When I was an assassin for the Hidden Mist… I possessed the usual Bingo Book a list of who's who of out enemies. It had quite the extensive write-up on you… including a mention of your impressive record. The man who copied over a thousand jutsu, Kakashi the Copy Ninja."

"Over… A thousand?" Minato uttered in amazement.

"Enough. Pleasant as this conversation has been. The time for talk is over. I'm on a very tight schedule to polish off the old man." Zabuza glared over at Tazuna whom began to sweat out of fear. "But… Kakashi… it looks like I'm going to have to kill you first." Zabuza grabbed onto his sword hilt and both him and the sword vanished and he appeared standing on the lake, with his left arm raised up and his right hand brought up to in front of his face.

"Over there!" Minato grabbed onto a triple prong kunai.

"The finest of the ninja art…" Zabuza uttered as a thick mist gathered around the area.

 **Hidden Mist Jutsu!**

And then Zabuza vanished leaving only a leaf floating on the spot in the lake where he stood. "He will come after me first… Zabuza Momochi… of the Hidden Mist's assassin corps… is a famous master of the art of silent killing. Letting your guard down around him buys you a ticket to the afterlife. You all need to stay on your toes." Kakashi warned as the three genin had gone into a defensive formation around Tazuna.

"What's with all this mist?!" Kushina questioned.

"There are eight targets." Zabuza's voice echoed from the mist making the three genin keep up their guard. "Throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, the subclavian artery. Kidney, heart so many choices what vital, vulnerable place shall I choose?" Zabuza chuckled trying to freak them out, Kushina seemed a little frightened while Minato and Itachi kept their cool.

Kakashi then released his bloodlust to counter Zabuza's bloodlust. This made Kushina look even more frightened and Minato and Itachi looked like they were affected by it as well as this was the first time they have encountered bloodlust like this. "Don't worry you guys… I will never let my comrades die." Kakashi looked over at the three genins with a smile from the looks of his eyes.

"I wouldn't be so sure on that." Zabuza said as he appeared right in between the three genin and old man Tazuna. "Game over." Zabuza was about to spin his blade when suddenly Kakashi moved at high speed and stabbed Zabuza in the side with a kunai knife. But then Zabuza appeared to be standing behind Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei! Behind you!" Minato shouted as the Zabuza Kakashi stabbed turned into a puddle of water.

'A Water Clone?' Kakashi thought as Zabuza sliced his body in half, but then Kakashi turned into a puddle of water as well.

'A Water Clone?! He was able to copy me even in the mist?!' Zabuza thought with wide eyes when suddenly he felt a cold blade pushed up against his throat.

"Don't move… Game over." Kakashi stood behind Zabuza with a kunai knife directed at his throat.

"Awesome!" Kushina said in awe.

Zabuza then began chuckling and they all looked at him in confusion. "You think it's over? You just don't get it… it will take more to defeat me than copy me like a monkey… a lot more. But you are good. In that short time you duplicated my Water Clone technique… And by making your clone say something you'd have said yourself… you ensured all my attention would be focused on it… While you yourself used the Hidden Mist Justu of hiding in the mist, watching my every move. Too bad for you… I am not that easy to fool!" Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi as the one Kakashi had his kunai knife up against his throat vanished in a puddle of water.

"He made two Water Clones?!" Minato questioned in shock.

Zabuza swung his massive sword at Kakashi whom ducked to dodge, but then Zabuza kicked Kakashi across the field sending him crashing into the lake. 'And now…' Zabuza ran towards Kakashi but stopped as caltrops were in his path. "Foolishness!" Zabuza vanished.

'H-He kicked Kakashi-sensei across all that way…?' Kushina thought with wide eyes and sweat running down her forehead.

"Sensei!" Minato shouted.

"His physical strength is outstanding…" Itachi uttered.

Kakashi popped up from the water. 'This water… why is it so heavy?' Kakashi thought as Zabuza appeared behind him.

"Gullible fool!" Zabuza held his hands towards Kakashi whom widened his eyes in shock.

 **Water Prison Jutsu!**

The water gathered around Kakashi trapping him in a sphere of water. "That prison is inescapable you're trapped. You running around free makes it too hard for me to do my job. I'll finish you later… after I've dealt with all the others." Zabuza made a hand sign with his free hand.

 **Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu**

Zabuza created a water clone to deal with the three genin and Tazuna. "Little ninja wannabe. Trying so hard to fit in, you even wear a headband. But a true ninja is one who has crossed and re-crossed the barrier between the lands of the living and the dead. Clothes don't make a shinobi, you need skills good enough to rate a list in my Bingo Book of enemies… Before you deserve to be called ninja. We don' call your kind ninja. We call them… brats." The water clone moved at immense speed towards Minato and delivered a kick to the young blond genin, but then Minato vanished in a puff of smoke making Zabuza raise his brow. "What? A Shadow Clone?" Minato appeared behind Zabuza's clone and pushed his palms forwards.

 **Gale Palm!**

A powerful blast of wind hit Zabuza's clone in the back making it dissolve back into water. "What? This brat took out my Water Clone?" Zabuza looked surprised, he then noticed Itachi throwing a kunai up in the air and then, Itachi leaped up and threw another kunai into the first one making it change direction towards Zabuza. Zabuza quickly raised his sword to deflect the kunai, once he moved the blade from his face, he saw a massive ball of blazing inferno coming towards him.

 **Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!**

Zabuza widened his eyes and swung his massive sword down across the blazing ball of inferno cutting it in half. "Him too? What is with these brats?!"

 **Water Style: Liquid Bullets!**

Kushina spit out a barrage fire of water shaped bullets towards Zabuza, he tilted his head to the side to dodge the bullets and then deflected the rest of them with his massive sword. "This girl is not half bad either, but these two boys… they are not normal brats…" Zabuza created two more water clones to take care of the genin that he had started taking more seriously, Kakashi even looked taken aback and couldn't speak. "I do apologize for my comment earlier, seems that you are not complete wannabes after all. But your still far away from being called shinobi. And without your master to help you, you will never become real shinobi as you will all die here." Zabuza smirked beneath his mask.

Minato narrowed his eyes making them look cold and calculative. "Itachi-kun, take care of these clones, will you? I will rescue Kakashi-sensei." Minato held out a triple prong kunai.

"Hn." Itachi nodded and leaped in front of the two water clones. "Kushina, keep staying close to Mr. Tazuna, I need you to be my back up in case one of them slips past me." Itachi said and Kushina nodded and stood in front of the old man on guard.

Zabuza began to let out a small laughter. "You three really think you can defeat me? And even come close to rescuing your sensei? You three are such fools."

"It will only take a second." Minato said with a smile and readied his kunai.

Itachi activated his Sharingan that flared up in a bright red color making the two clones widen their eyes in shock. "Sharingan? He is an Uchiha?!" The two water clones charged at Itachi, whom was able to dodge all their attacks as their movements looked like they were slower with his sharingan predicting each move the clones made.

Minato threw the triple prong kunai, Zabuza tilted his head to the side as it flew right beside his head, however, Zabuza did not notice it had a special mark on the handle. In the flash of a split second, Minato vanished and reappeared next to Zabuza.

 **Gale Palm!**

Minato sent a blast wave of wind directly into the side of Zabuza's face sending him flying to the side, dissolving the water prison around Kakashi. 'I didn't even see him move! This brat is fast!' Zabuza thought as he regained his balance and stood on the water. Minato then fell into the water and popped his head up while inhaling his breath. 'Despite his speed, he still hasn't learned how to walk on water?' Zabuza thought and readied his sword. "Perfect." Zabuza charged towards Minato but was kicked in the gut by Kakashi whom stood on the water, and his body was drenched wet. "Ugh!"

"Looks like Minato is done, guess I should finish up here as well." Itachi leaped up as both the water clones swung their swords at him, Itachi leaped between the blades as one swung over him and one beneath him, he then threw two kunai knifes to the side, right into the clones, and then Itachi landed on the ground and leaped back, as the kunai knifes had paper bomb tags attached to them. The two Zabuza water clones widened their eyes as they exploded and were reduced to puddles of water.

Zabuza widened his eyes in shock as he looked at Itachi and then over to Minato whom was being helped up by Kakashi. "There brats are definitely not ordinary…" He uttered and lifted his massive blade over his shoulder and released even more killing intent. "Guess I should take you all more seriously." Zabuza declared.

 **That's the end for now!**

 **Team 7 have encountered Zabuza, one of the 7 ninja swordsmen of the Mist! And now that he has realized that he is not up against normal children, plus the legendary Copy Ninja, Kakashi. He is starting to get serious.**

 **Anyway, sorry for the long wait, but here it is! Next week I will try and update "From Ninja to Saiyan" for those of you waiting for that.**

 **Anyway, leave a review!**

 **-Later!**


	4. The Boy in the Mask!

**Wow, it has been a long time, time sure goes by fast. Anyway, we are sorry for not having been able to update this story for quite some time. Me and my co-writer had it a little difficult finding time to write on this one. Plus, I have started at college and my schedule isn't as open as it was before when it came to writing. But I just want all of you to be assured that I will never abandon this story or any of my stories for that matter. Sometimes it might take a while before I update a story, which in some cases are because of writer's block, not having enough inspiration to write, or in this stories case not that easy finding time to work with my co-writer.**

 **Also, to those waiting for some of my other stories, like "A Fresh Start" I hope to be able to update it by this month, if not at the early start of January.**

 **Also, for review responds I have decided to add those at the very end of the chapter.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

There was death in the air, the killing intent leaking from Zabuza was enough to make a grown man freeze in fear, that's what happened to Tazuna anyway. Even if he wished to run away, his legs refused to budge. Although he held slight hope, after seeing what these three brats could do, plus knowing their sensei is a high ranked shinobi. It seemed he might escape with his life intact after all, for his people, for his grandson, he couldn't afford to die here he had to finish the bridge.

Young Kushina stood guard in front of the old bridge builder, and looked amazed at her teammates. She had always known Itachi Uchiha to be a prodigy, although from what Itachi told her, and what she has seen him do self during the survival exercise, the goof Minato seemed to be just as skilled as the Uchiha if not even more.

The two and young talented boys, Itachi and Minato stood beside their sensei Kakahsi, ready to take on the Demon of the Mist, Zabuza. "We got your back, Kakashi-sensei." Minato declared as he readied a triple prong kunai in his right hand.

"Hn." Itachi nodded in agreement to Minato's words.

"Thank you, but make sure you both stay back a bit. He is still stronger than both of you." Kakashi warned and his sharingan eye focused on the giant sword wielding enemy.

'Those two brats might be a problem teaming up with their sensei. I need to split them…' Zabuza narrowed his gaze and formed a hand seal, creating two water clones. "These clones are stronger than the ones from before. Let's see if you brats can survive this." Zabuza chuckled darkly as the two clones charged at the young boys.

Both the boys narrowed their eyes, calculating the situation. Itachi used his sharingan to react to the attacks from the one clone dodging each swing from the executioner blade, while Minato threw the triple prong kunai and teleported using Flying Rajin, and appeared behind the one water clone kicking it in the back of the head, sending it crashing into the ground.

Itachi ducked from the executioners blade the clone swung at him, Itachi focused the chakra within his body to increase his speed to the max and his strength, and quickly spun his right leg into the clones' legs making it trip. Itachi then quickly spun his body delivering an upper kick to the clone's jaw. The water clone of Zabuza flew a little up in the air, and smirked underneath the mask of the bandages, and delivered a kick to Itachi sending him flying back a great distance.

As Itachi was flying back, he brought out two shurikens from his pouch and threw them at the water clone. Zabuza's clone however reflected the shurikens with the executioner's blade. Itachi pulled his arms back, as almost invisible strings were in his hands. Itachi's shurikens then changed direction flying over Zabuza's clone's head, and made a U-turn aiming for his back.

"Foolish." The clone uttered and formed a hand seal as a wall of water surrounded him stopping the shurikens. The clone then formed another hand seal at incredible speed.

 **Water Style: Liquid Bullets!**

Out from the water wall surrounding the clone, shot out a barrage of water bullets towards the young Uchiha, whom at high speed formed a set of hand seals and inhaled his breath.

 **Fire Style: Fireball**

Itachi spitted out the famous Uchiha jutsu, a gigantic fireball that flew towards the clone, and vaporized the water bullets. Zabuza's clone narrowed its eyes at the incoming blazing ball of fire and raised the executioner blade, slicing the ball of fire in half. "Persistent little runt." Zabuza grunted as Itachi was gone. "Think you can fool me." The clone swiftly turned around swinging the massive sword with him, and striking a pair of kunai knifes held in an x-formation by Itachi, whom was sent flying back from the impact. "Huh?" The clone heard a noise and looked down seeing a paper bomb tag right underneath him that was about to explode. He quickly jumped back as the tag exploded. 'Even after all that he was able to sneak up behind me, and place a paper bomb tag beneath my feet?!'

As Zabuza's clone was flying back from the explosion, he sensed a presence behind him and there was Itachi having formed a hand seal. "Oh no you don't'!" Zabuza turned his body around, and swung the blade at the Uchiha cutting him in the half, although then he vanished in a puff of smoke. 'A shadow clone?!' Zabuza then turned around again, only to see a blazing ball of fire right in front of him. "Heh, not bad kid, one of these days you would have made a high rank in the bingo book." Zabuza's clone smirked as the fireball crashed right into him and exploded in a massive blaze of fire. "Shame you won't survive the original's wrath." The clone said as he vanished in a puddle of water that got vaporized by the fire.

The real Itachi stood a few steps away from where the paper bomb tag had exploded. 'Good, he fell for the clone I made during that first fireball.' Itachi thought having made a shadow clone during the spam of time Zabuza's water clone was distracted by the first fireball. All that was left to do after that was to face him head on for a bit, with just enough time to plant a paper bomb, that would give the shadow clone enough time to get in position, and Itachi enough time to gather up the chakra for that last fireball.

Meanwhile, Minato charged at the second and last remaining water clone. Zabuza's water clone quickly reacted to the blond boy, and then quickly formed a set of hand seals.

 **Hidden Mist Jutsu!**

A thick foggy mist then gathered around Zabuza's water clone and Minato. Minato stopped in his tracks, focusing on his senses to find where the clone was hiding, although he had a pretty good idea where he was going. "Guess it's time to confuse him." Minato smirked and formed a hand seal, and in a massive puff of smoke appeared an army of around 500 Minato's that all charged around the mist.

Zabuza's water clone, whom was closing in on Tazuna and Kushina, was suddenly attacked from behind by a small army of Minato's. "He is over here you guys! He is going after Kushina-chan and Tazuna-san!" One of Minato's shadow clones shouted as the rest of the Minato army charged out from the mist.

"We are not letting you get away that easy!" The real Minato shouted somewhere among his army of clones. 'Even though you have more skills and experience than me! You are way to predictable, it was obvious that one of those water clones was going to go after Tazuna-san!' Minato thought as the entire army of Minato's pulled their right hand back. "Now!"

'Little brat!' Zabuza's clone shouted in his own mind.

 **Gale Palm!**

All the clones at once fired of a surge of wind blasting towards the water clone, whom formed a set of hand seals in the blink of an eye.

 **Water Style: Water Dragon Missile!**

A giant Chinese dragon made out of water flew around the water clone, like a shield protecting him from the wind blasts. And then flew around charging at all the Minato's taking out row after row as they vanished in a puff of smoke. Zabuza's water clone then swiftly turned around throwing the executioners blade spinning towards Kushina and Tazuna.

"Get back bridge builder, dattabane!" Kushina formed a set of hand seals.

 **Earth Style: Mud wall!**

A wall made out of the earth popped up in front of them to slow the sword down, and Kushina quickly pushed the old bridge builder down, as the executioner blade cut through the wall and flew over them. The water clone charged at them, but froze when a triple prong kunai flew past him, and in a flash the real Minato appeared with his palm pulled back, Minato landed on the ground in front of Kushina, his feet skidding back and dragging up a little of the ground. "Gentle fist style!" Minato gathered a lot of energy, then he leaped towards the clone and slammed his palm forward hitting the water clone right in the center of the chest, dissolving the water clone into a puddle of water, and the water dragon was also dissolved into a puddle of water. 'Even though I haven't awoken the byakugan, heck I don't even know if I can, it's common knowledge that the center of the chest contains a lot of chakra connections, block that and a mere clone will vanish.' Minato thought.

"Wh-What did you do?" Kushina questioned looking at Minato in awe.

"Huh? Oh? I used the gentle fist style. It's a taijutsu art of the Hyuga clan, you see my mother is originally from the Hyuga clan, she trained me to use it to some extent. Although it really is difficult to use without a byakgugan…" Minato looked into his own palm seeing it twitching slightly in pain. 'And of course, without a byakugan I can't use the art of gentle fist correctly… and suffer some damage if I'm not too careful.'

Meanwhile, Kakashi was mimicking Zabuza's every move thanks to his one sharingan. They were both making the same hand seals, and Zabuza started to look annoyed, as they both shot out a water dragon missile that collided with each other sending water raining down upon them. 'Something isn't right… He's…' Zabuza thought and widened his eyes as Kakashi was not only mimicking hand seals anymore, but all hos body movements. 'All of my movements and gestures… He sees…'

"Through them all!" Kakashi finished Zabuza's train of thought.

'What?! Is he reading my mind?!' Zabuza widened his eyes and growled forming a hand seal that Kakashi mimicked. 'Curse him! He's…'

"… Got that sickeningly evil look in his eye… Right?" Kakashi asked mockingly.

"You're a pale imitation!"

""I'm the genuine article. No mere copycat stands a chance against me!"" They both said in unison causing Zabuza to gain a look of shock as a vein grew on his forehead.

"You mimic me like a parrot! I'll shut you up for good!" Zabuza shouted and kept forming hand seals that Kakashi mimicked. Zabuza then widened his eyes as it looked like a ghostly image of himself stood beside Kakashi. 'Is this one of his illusions?' Zabuza questioned and hesitated for only a second, but that was all Kakashi needed.

 **Water Style: Giant Waterfall!**

Kakashi managed to unleash Zabuza's jutsu first as Zabuza was too distracted, and a massive surge of water blasted into Zabuza. 'I-I can't keep up with him!' Zabuza crashed into a tree and kunai knifes stabbed into his arms and legs.

"That's that." Kakashi said as he was on the tree branch looking down on Zabuza.

"What… Can you see the future?!" Zabuza questioned.

"I foresee… your death." Kakashi declared and was about to deal the finishing blow, when suddenly two needles stabbed through Zabuza's neck.

Everyone looked towards the source from where they were thrown, and saw what looked to be a boy in a mask with long black hair tied into a bun. "Your prediction came true." The boy said in a gentle like tone. "Thank you for your help. I hope you don't mind my interfering, but I wanted the satisfaction of putting Zabuza out his misery myself." The boy gave a polite bow to Kakashi whom studied the mask the boy was wearing, and he recognized it from the symbol around the forehead area.

"That mask is familiar… correct me if I'm wrong… but aren't you a shinobi hunter from the village hidden in the Mist?" Kakashi questioned.

"Well, aren't you the smart one." The boy complimented.

"A shinobi hunter?" Minato questioned.

"I am, indeed, a member of the elite tracking unit from the village hidden in the Mist. It is our responsibility, and out art, to hunt down and deal with rogues and the outlaws." The boy replied.

'Judging by his size and the tone of his voice… he doesn't seem that much older than us…' Minato thought inspecting this mysterious boy.

'Like Minato and Itachi he is not your average kid, that's for sure.' Kakashi thought and put his forehead protector over his sharingan.

Kushina looked frustrated as she looked back and forth on the dead Zabuza and this masked boy. "Who the heck are you?! Dattebane!"

"Just relax, he's not an enemy." Kakashi assured and walked away from Zabuza's corpse having inspected it.

"That's not what I mean! He killed Zabuza, whom was able to fight against all of us! But this guy, whom is about my fricking age! Takes him out like it was nothing! Does that mean we are like weak or something?! What's up with that?! Dattebane!" Kushina shouted feeling like her dream was just way far out of reach.

"Well, Zabuza was weakened after the battle with all of us. Plus, he looked a little distracted by Kakashi-sensei." Itachi pointed out, yet Kushina still felt frustrated.

"It might be hard to accept, but this is fact. You'll just have to live with it. This won't be the last time you meet someone like him, someone who is younger than you and stronger." Kakashi said as the world was big, and he was already aware of some young people that were way too strong for their age, Minato and Itachi even falling into that category, heck Kushina wasn't that far from that category as well. "If you don't like it, then you'll just have to get stronger." Kakashi said and Kushina pouted a little, but had determination that burned like fire in her eyes.

"Your battle is over for now… and the remains must be disposed of… lest they give up secrets to our foes." The boy vanished and reappeared next to Zabuza's body, and picked him up. "Well then, I must be off." The boy and Zabuza vanished.

"Now! We still have to escort Tazuna-san the rest of the way to his home." Kakashi sighed seeming a little exhausted. "Let's put our best feet forward."

Tazuna let out a laughter now that he was safe, for now at least. "You poor kids. You must be so humiliated! But never mind. You can lick your wounds at my house." Tazuna said when suddenly Kakashi fell to the ground.

"What?! Huh?! What's happening?!" Kushina questioned as they went to their fallen sensei.

"Master Kakashi!" Minato as well went to their sensei's side. "What's going on?"

"It's because of the sharingan. Since he is a none Uchiha, his body isn't adapted to deal with the sharingan, so he must suffer some sort of side effect at the moment. He is just a little tired is all." Itachi said and went up to Kakashi's body and picked him up. "Kushina, would you mind helping me carry Kakashi-sensei? Minato you will stay on watch and look out for any other attackers." Itachi instructed and they did as he said.

They didn't run into any other attackers sent by that Gato, and managed to get to Tazuna's home, where Kakashi could rest off the side effects of the sharingan. Once they got there, they were greeted by Tazuna's daughter Tsunami, whom was a young woman in her late twenties with long black hair and eyes.

"Are you all right there, sensei?" Tsunami asked the Jonin whom was at the moment resting on a futon.

"No, but I will be in about a week." Kakashi replied.

"Still, why do you have the power of the Uchiha clan?" Kushina questioned, and Itachi seemed to wanting to know the answer.

"… It was a gift… from a friend." It was all Kakashi would say on the matter, and Itachi managed to guess that friend must have been an Uchiha, most likely someone whom died a long time ago and gave his sharingan to Kakashi, judging by the scar that was over his eye, Kakashi must have lost his real eye in combat.

"This time you took down your strongest foe yet. So, we can probably relax for a while." Tazuna said seemingly relieved figuring Zabuza must have been Gato's strongest hired muscle.

"Still, that boy in the mask worries me a little…" Minato uttered not looking like his usual goof self, he looked serious like he does during battle.

"Hmm, well like he said, he is a part of the Shinobi hunters, that mask is proof of that they all wear them. Their unit is code-named the Undertaker Squad. Because they dispose of the corpses so thoroughly, it's as though they never existed. Even after death, a shinobi's corpse still holds a lot of secrets. Exposing the secrets of the skills it had mastered, as well as retaining the aura of the chakra it was steeped in, in the ninja's native lands. Even the ingredients of any drugs or potions that body has consumed becomes an open book. If I were to die the enemy would most likely take possession of my corpse to gain any information on the village, and the secrets of my sharingan. Worst case scenario they could be able to duplicate and master that power if they gain enough information." Kakashi explained.

"So, those Shinobi Hunters hunt down any rogue ninjas like Zabuza, so that the enemy can't kill Zabuza and take any information his body may contain. That way they are able to protect the secrets of their home." Minato said.

"That's right, they dispose of the corpse silently and without a trace." Kakashi replied and Kushina looked a little creeped out at the thought.

Kakashi then laid back and thought back on Zabuza, and the boy, how Zabuza was killed by those needles and how the boy took Zabuza's body away… Wait a minute. Kakashi widened his eyes as the realization dawned on him. He sat up so quickly Minato and Kushina got spooked.

"What's wrong master Kakashi?" Kushina questioned a little dumbfounded.

"Hmmm… of course. The Shinobi hunters who manage corpse disposals are supposed to destroy the bodies of those they kill at once, right on the spot." Kakashi said and everyone just looked a little confused.

"So what?" Kushina questioned, and then Minato and Itachi widened their eyes having realized it as well.

"He took the corpse with him, he didn't dispose of it like he should have…" Itachi uttered to which Kakashi nodded.

"Not to mention the weapons he used to kill Zabuza." Kakashi said as they all thought back.

"Senbon Acupuncture needles…" Minato uttered as an image of the weapons popped into his mind. "Oh crap…" Minato realized what that could mean, and Itachi also had a look that said he figured it out, as he was sweating nervously.

"Yes, it would seem so." Kakashi confirmed the boys suspicion.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Tazuna questioned not following what they meant.

"That it's likely… Zabuza is still alive!" Kakashi revealed and both Kushina and Tazuna gaped.

"Wh-What?! But you checked him! If he was alive you should have noticed!" Kushina pointed out remembering Kakashi checking Zabuza's body.

"I made sure of it… but… A deathlike trance could have created a very convincing illusion of the real thing. Those acupuncture needle weapons that Shinobi hunter used could be deadly… if they hit the right spot. If not, the mortality rate is surprisingly low. And they were originally designed as medical tools. Shinobi hunters are meant to possess knowledge of human physiology. It would be simple for one to place a person into near-death state." Kakashi explained and they all thought back to what happened with the masked boy.

"First of all, the masked boy went to the trouble of carrying Zabuza's heavy corpse with him. Secondly he used those needles as weapons, which he could have used to inflict a non-mortal injury. These two points suggests that his goal was to put Zabuza in a state that would make it seem like he was dead. While in truth, he rescued him." Kakashi said to which everyone in the room looked a little nervous.

"Even if you are wrong, we still should consider the possibility…" Itachi agreed with Kakashi.

"Aren't you just complicating things by overthinking them? Shinobi hunters are supposed to hunt down rouge ninjas, right?" Tazuna questioned.

"True, but, what if he wasn't a member of the Shinobi hunters? What if he just somehow managed to steal that mask?" Minato said to which Kakashi narrowed his eyes and pondered on the thought, yet another possibility appeared, the boy could be working with Zabuza while being disguised as someone who would want to kill him, so that Zabuza could escape near death situations.

"Whether Zabuza is dead or alive, Gato might still have powerful enemies at his disposal, so regardless we need to be ready. I'm going to increase your training schedule." Kakashi revealed.

"Umm, Kakashi-sensei, although I do want training. Do we really have time fort that right now? I mean if Zabuza is alive wouldn't he attack us while we are training?" Kushina questioned.

"Excellent question, although I wouldn't worry about Zabuza for a while now. You see, as person who has been put to near-death state will need some time to recover before their bodies are back to full health." Kakashi said easing Kushina's worries.

"Alright! So, we'll train while we're waiting! This could be fun! Dattebane!" Kushina cheered in excitement, and Minato thought the excited look on Kushina's face was so cute that he fawned over her.

"It won't be fun for you." A little boy entered the house.

"And who are you?" Kushina narrowed her gaze at the boy.

"Inari! Where have you been?!" Tazuna greeted the boy with open arms.

"Welcome home grandpa." The boy took of his shoes and walked in.

"Inari, greet our guests properly. They're ninjas whom brought your grandfather home safe." Inari's mother Tsunami said, and the boy looked at the Genin trio.

"But mom, they are all going to die." Inari bluntly stated.

"Listen up ya little twerp!" Kushina was about to throw a tantrum but was held back by her two teammates.

"No one can beat Gato and his men, no one." The boy said, his eyes lacking hope.

"You brat!" Kushina was about to attack had it not been for Itachi and Minato holding her back.

"Calm down! Kushina-chan! He is just a child!" Minato tried to calm down Kushina, and noticed the look in the boy's eyes. "Hey kid, don't worry about this Gato guy. I'm a superhero who will take him down!" Minato tried to cheer him up.

"Hero? You're dumb! There's no such thing!" Inari boldly stated, to which Minato looked dumbfounded.

"… Not the reaction I was expecting honestly." Minato laughed nervously with a sweat drop.

"If you don't wanna die, go home, now…" Inari said and turned around and walked away.

"Where are you off to, Inari?" Tazuna asked his grandson.

"I'm going to watch the ocean from my room…" Inari replied as he left the room and went upstairs, but not before slamming the door behind him.

Tazuna let out a sigh and rubbed his temple. "Please forgive him." Tazuna said to the angry Kushina, whom finally calmed down thanks to Minato whom was stroking her hair gently while she pouted.

"There, there, calm down now Kushina-chan…" Minato said with a joyous smile.

"I am calm…" Kushina uttered still pouting, not seeming to realize what was happening and how this looked.

"Yes, that's a good Kushina." Minato said calmly as he kept stroking Kushina's hair, whom finally noticed.

"What do ya think your doin'! Databane!" Kushina punched Minato across the face.

"I have… no regrets…" Minato raised his right shaking arm up, while giving a thump up before he passed out, to which Itachi let out a sigh at his best friend's behavior.

After having recovered from Kushina's punch, Minato decided to go up and see Inari to find out what was wrong. But when he got to the door of Inari's room, he heard sobbing. 'Is he crying?' Minato listened in closely and heard Inari crying out to his father. This caused Minato to widen his eyes and feel a little sympathy for the boy, as he remembered his own father, and a certain incident when he found out he was the host of the Nine tailed fox.

 **Flashback 6 years ago**

A very young Minato, having discovered the truth about him, after having heard all the whispering the villagers had said about him, and calling him sometimes "demon" or even "fox demon", it didn't take Minato long to put the pieces together, and this brought him even more sorrow.

A crying Minato was holding a knife directed towards the seal on his stomach, crying his eyes out. "Minato! Stop it! Put the knife down!" His mother Hinata called out with a look filled with concern and being worried over her only child.

"Dad was killed by the nine tails… if the nine tails is in me… then… then… I will kill it!" Minato raised the knife as images of the vile fox came to his mind, his eyes filled with fear, anger, hatred. Minato was about to stab himself, although Hinata managed to use gentle fist to knock the knife out from her crying boy's hand, and embraced him in a hug before he could pick the knife back up, leaving her son stunned and widen his teary eyes.

"Your father… loved you more than anything… I love you more than anything… Your father gave his life to save the village, to save you… you are not the nine tails, you are Minato, our son. Please… don't let your father's sacrifice have been in vain." Hinata cried onto the top of Minato's head, whom cried into her bosom.

"I'm sorry mom… I'm sorry…" Minato cried in a broken voice, as the anger and hatred in his eyes vanished.

"You haven't done anything wrong dear. You hear me? You haven't done anything wrong. I love you." Hinata gently stroked Minato's hair. Minato didn't remember much after that, only that he fell asleep in his mother's arms, and after that he struggled with dealing with this fact that he had the nine tails inside him. After this day, Minato never had any more thoughts on ending his life again, or hurting himself.

Because, his mother and his best friend Itachi were always there to comfort him, well, not that Itachi ever found out about that incident, he was still there to cheer Minato up whenever he needed it. Whether Itachi knew he was cheering Minato up or not. Same with Kushina, whom would bright Minato's day up every time he saw her, and her beautiful red hair, calming him down making him feel at ease, that and her amusing cute personality that always brought light to him. This was one of the main reasons he probably fell in love with Kushina.

 **Flashback end**

Team 7 were out in the woods with Kakashi standing, well with crutches as he hasn't fully regained his strength yet, before three tall trees. "Okay, let the training begin." Kakashi declared and the trio looked excited, or in Itachi's case, ready to begin.

 **That's the end for now!**

 **Once again, sorry that this update took so long! We will try and make the next update faster!**

 **Also, in case anyone is wondering the water clones Itachi and Minato fought were stronger versions of the ones from the previous chapter.**

 **Also, who do you think will finish the tree climbing test first? Minato? Itachi? Or Kushina?**

 **But what did you guys think of the chapter? Let us know in the reviews!**

 **-Later!**

 **Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**

 **(Responds to reviews)**

 **IIII: Here you go! Sorry for the long wait!**

 **merendinoemiliano: Thanks! And that's good to know, although we have planned things to be different for the ending, it's still good to know we can still fall back on that option.**

 **Tasty food: Thanks! And here you go! And hmm, maybe I will consider it.**

 **seant5054: Hmm, I don't find that idea very interesting, sorry. Although Itachi and Samui… Maybe, we'll consider it.**

 **Senritran19: We'll think about it.**

 **Tsukoblue: Naruto in this story has more like a canon Minato role, that's why he wasn't the nine tails as someone would need to fight Tobi when he attacked and unleashed the nine tails. And Tsunade being a Senju and having high chakra like an Uzumaki she seemed the perfect candidate for having the nine tails. Also, I think you may be misunderstanding a thing here, although Tsunade is with Jiraiya or was in this fic, they are not Naruto's parents in this one, Tsunade was pregnant and the child died with her during the nine tails attack.**

 **: Thanks, sorry for the long wait!**

 **Guest: Thanks! Sorry for the long wait!**


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